Daybreak
by atypical-swan
Summary: Bella Swan’s been a vampire for around a century. When the Cullen family moves to the sleepy town of Forks, WA, she finds quite a few things she never expected, including a human boy that turns her world on its side.
1. Chapter 1

Bella tucked herself into the backseat of Rose's BMW, slipping her earbuds in as Jasper and Alice joined her in the back seat. She thumbed quickly through her playlists until she settled on one of her more relaxing mixes of classical music. She hated starting at a new school, though she recognized the need for it. The younger they pretended to be, the longer they could stay in one place.

Which was why Bella and her adopted brothers and sisters were on their way to Forks High for the first day of the second half of the year. Still, however many times they did it didn't relieve Bella's anxiety; she hated being the center of attention for whatever reason, and she knew from experience that her family would draw attention.

Alice, all five foot her of her dressed in designer jeans and a cashmere sweater, dark hair spiked trendily, was practically vibrating as she slipped in next to her husband Jasper. Bella knew she'd seen something, but didn't want to ask, pulling into herself a bit. She caught Jasper's sideways glance and small nod. Apparently, everyone was feeling a bit loudly, and Bella's withdrawal had removed her anxiety from the mix of what the six-foot, dirty blonde male vampire was being exposed to by everyone else. She raised an eyebrow silently asking if she should expand her bubble instead of contract it and Jasper shook his head with a smile, tucking Alice against him, and the effect was instantly calming on the bouncy pixie.

"What's got you going already, Alice?" Emmet drawled, sliding into the front seat next to his wife, Rosalie. His large frame dwarfed the passenger seat, but as intimidating as he looked at something close to six-eight and well muscled, Emmett was a big teddy bear to those he loved, and was the best 'big' brother Bella could have asked for. Rosalie, gorgeous, statuesque, sex on runway model legs (as Bella'd once heard her described) grinned as she glanced at Bella in the mirror, then turned her attention back to the car.

"Nothin'" Alice said with a grin, cuddling up to and tucking herself under Jasper's arm. She'd said several times before how well their bodies fit together, with his over six foot frame and her under five, and most of the time, Bella didn't want to hear any details.

Alice and Emmet were passing as siblings for the duration of their stay in Forks. Their similar coloring let them pass for relations who had taken Carlisle's last name when they'd been adopted by the young doctor and his wife, Esme. Jasper and Rose were once again selling themselves as twins, both blonde and golden eyed, having taken Rosalie's family name this time around. Bella stood alone again, retaking her family name of Swan for the first time in half a century, being the lone child that the Cullens had adopted. It suited her, being the only unmated member of the family. Though she was happy to no longer be alone, to have a family, Bella was still pretty quiet and reserved compared to the rest of the family. She recalled being shy as a human, and that trait hadn't really faded even after a century, she supposed, and probably was part of where her unique gift came from - she could quite literally disappear from others of her kind, and had been working to control it better to protect her family. With her ability to shield came the sense of perception of other vampires that rivaled Alice's visions, and through between the two, they managed to avoid detection several times before.

Bella turned out her siblings chatter and focused on her music as Rosalie drove them to the high school.

With three PhDs (British Literature, American literature, and Sociology) and a slew of other degrees, Bella was loathing another round of high school. At least they'd agreed to let her start as a junior instead of a freshman as the last time. She could have one off on her own for awhile, she supposed, but she'd miss the family too much to stay gone for long, and loved them too much to risk questions if she came back too soon. She watched out the window as Rosalie sped towards then through the small town of Forks. They rode together for the most part because it was easier and asked less questions than if all five of them showed up in different vehicles since they did i_try_/i to fit in. And Bella's motorcycle would draw attention, especially riding in the perpetually drizzly weather of the Upper Peninsula.

It was another gray day, which suited Bella. After all, she mused, it wasn't like she could go out in the sunlight, and as much as she dreaded the 'first day of school' she'd rather not be cooped up in the house or wandering alone in the woods that surrounded the house. She knew she was spending far too much time alone lately, but she was finding it harder and harder to not feel lonely even when surrounded by her family. She loved them, but being in the company of three couples could get to be too much. Still, she was thankful she couldn't sense their emotions as clearly as Jasper. Bella watched the landscape whip by her window. She'd missed watching the sunrise that morning, one of her favorite activities was to put on quiet music and sit on her East facing balcony and watch the sun peak over the horizon and the turn of colors in the sky. But that morning she'd been helping Esme with a project while Carlisle had been at the hospital and everyone else was occupied. Not that Bella minded, really; there was an eternity of sunrises in front of her, and Esme would only be redecorating Bella's lounge once.

She had a hard time explaining why daybreak was her favorite time of day, especially as a vampire. For her, the rising sun represented a new chance, the coming of a new day and the opportunity for new things. It was odd, she knew, but her whole family was seen as something of an enigma by the rest of the vampire world. They abstained from human blood, spent time interacting with humans, and generally tried to live quiet lives. Having a strange appreciation for the coming of a new day was just one part of Bella's odd life that had started around a century ago.

Bella'd also loved living in Alaska, where it was night for much of the year. She sat for hours at a time watching the Aurora Borealis play across the sky. Though she knew all the science behind it, it didn't make it any less beautiful to watch.

The car slowed and Bella pulled herself out of her musings to take in the parking lot of Forks High. The parking lot was mostly empty but they were early, needing to register. Rosalie pulled into a spot in the student lot and the piled out, Bella thumbing down the volume of her music, but not removing the ear buds. Rosalie took Emmett's hand and walked close with him, while Jasper let Alice tug him along, occasionally lifting his arm so she could dance/twirl under his arm. Bella trailed along, already feeling like her persona for this round was set as the moody outcast sibling, which she didn't want, and so switched to a different playlist hoping to at least pretend to lift her spirits. She caught Jasper's backwards glance and shook her head. She didn't really want to talk about it.

"You must be the Cullen/Hale/Swans," Bella heard as she stepped into the office. An older woman was behind the desk. "I have your schedules here, dears." She called them each out by name, handing over a half-sheet of paper and a manila envelope. "Please get your schedules initialed by each of your teachers and return them here at the end of the day." With that, they were dismissed.

Bella fell in as they compared schedules. She had only two classes with anyone in her family, History, with Jasper which would be interesting, and gym last period with Alice. While they waited for first period to start, they stood in a small clump and watching the stream of arriving students. Bella watched students reuniting from their winter break, seeing the cliques breakdown into groups after a moment as the students milled around. There were a few odd students not belonging to any group. A tall, copper haired boy with glasses nodded at a few people as he passed, but didn't join any group and he disappeared into the music building. A tall dark haired girl lingered on the outskirts of a group, looking up every so often, but not appearing to chat much with the four or five other people in her group.

Even after a century, people watching never really got old. But eventually the warning bell rang and Bella split from her brothers and sisters to find her way to her English class, which she knew was going to bore her to the end of her patience.

English went about as well as she expected. The teacher was at least someone fairly young with a new spin on teaching literature, so it wouldn't be quite as tedious as Bella thought it might. She met the dark haired girl she'd observed outside, Angela, as well as two of the small group she circulated with, Lauren and Jessica. She tagged along with Jessica to trig where she was introduced to Eric and Tyler, whom she also followed to History, going to sit by Jasper at the back of the room.

"Doing okay?" she asked her brother quietly.

Jasper nodded tightly. He and Alice had found Carlisle in the mid 1950s, and Jasper still struggled daily to adapt to the Cullen lifestyle. He'd been an enforcer for a coven for years, and though he didn't talk about it, much, Bella knew that it haunted him, and he had to struggle more against his nature than the rest of the family, and it made Bella smile to know that he did it for Alice. But they'd been out of school for awhile, and this was the largest group that Jasper had been around and he'd lost a bit of his immunity.

So Bella chatted with him quietly throughout the lecture. The teacher couldn't hear them from their place in the back, and so she did her best to distract her brother by helping him poke holes in the lesson. Jasper had 'lived' through the Civil War, and he always had interesting stories that contradicted the so called experts.

Soon enough, that hour passed as well, and Jasper led her out of the room like a gentleman, ruffling her long dark hard in a very Emmett-like fashion before they split – her to Spanish, Jasper to calculus.

Spanish also dragged on, and Bella made a note to see if she could switch her fourth period to a study hall or other elective. She was already fluent in all the languages the school offered, not that she could make that argument, but she'd take whatever placement test they'd ask to show her proficiency (not perfection, just pass), in order to get out of another half year of learning to conjugate verbs and adapt to a different grammatical structure than English.

"Hey, Bella!"

She turned at the voice, finding a smile for Angela. "Hey Angela," she returned the greeting, pausing and waiting for the other girl to catch up.

"Join us for lunch today? There's a few more people you should meet." Angela fidgeted a bit, and Bella read her body language enough to see she was nervous and uncomfortable around her. Humans usually were; it was the innate predator within that the humans sensed, even if they couldn't really identify what their body was telling them.

"I'd love to," Bella said smoothly, "but I've already promised to sit with my family." Jasper was probably ready for some peace, and she was ready to be able to put her guard down for a few minutes. "Maybe tomorrow?" She smiled, careful not to show too much teeth.

"Oh. Sure!" Bella wondered if Angela was aware of how relieved she looked. "I'll catch you tomorrow, then." She headed off with a wave.

Bella filed into the cafeteria with the rest of the students, making her way to the lunch line for a sandwich and bottle of juice, neither of which she would actually consume, and carried her tray over to join her family. She slid into a seat between Jasper and Rosalie and toyed with the bottle, watching the students around her. There were glances toward their table, and Bella smirked occasionally as one of their names broke through the hum of voices in the room. They certainly were the subject of the day as most of the students' conversations centered around the mysterious Cullens, Hales, and the Swan girl.

"_I still think it's weird that they're all hooked up like that_,"Bella heard someone say. "_I know they're not all blood related, but still, it's creepy. All living in the same house_?"She laughed softly. What would they say if they knew that Alice and Jasper had 'officially' married years ago, and that Emmett and Rosalie went through the ceremony whenever it served their purpose for them to live apart from the rest of the family?

"_They're all so pretty. But that one with the long brown hair, she's just plain. Wonder why she doesn't fit in with them_?" Another voice put in. Bella ducked her hair a bit, letting said hair curtain her face, but she felt Jasper's arm around her shoulders in a half hug and she leaned into him a bit, thankful for the contact.

"You know they're just jealous, right?" Jasper asked her quietly.

Bella nodded. The words weren't anything new. She knew her long dark hair was unremarkable, and her eyes glowed a soft butterscotch when she was well fed, and she was pale and not much to look at, not compared to Rosalie's model good looks or Alice's cute pixie hair and body that carried off just about any look she wanted. But she also knew that teenagers were cruel (after all the time she'd spent in high school, she sometimes wondered if she was really just in hell), and that's how they expressed their emotions. "I know."

Rosalie slid off Emmett's lap. "Gonna go give them a piece of my mind…"

Emmett grabbed her wrist and tugged her back down. "Can't do that babe. We shouldn't have heard that," he reminded her, nuzzling her gently, which instantly calmed her down. "What do you care what they think anyway, Bells?" Emmett turned to her.

"I don't," Bella said with a shrug. "Thanks, Rose, but save it for when someone tries to get Em into the janitor's closet," she teased, causing them to laugh, remembering when a cheerleader had tricked him into the closet. He'd spent a week begging Rose's forgiveness that time.

The warning bell rang then, and students began packing up.

"Have fun in biology!" Alice trilled at Bella, linking her arm with Jasper as they strode off.

Bella rolled her eyes and gathered her messenger bag and tray, tossed her uneaten lunch and joined the mass of humanity pressing back out into the halls, locating her building and trailing after the students, making sure to remember to travel at a human pace and suppressing another sigh.

"Mr. Banner?" Bella approached an older man, beginning to bald slightly at the temples, with grey begging to appear in flecks in his brown hair. He looked like a typical teacher in khaki trousers and a button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. "I'm new."

"Ah, yes, Miss Swan?" Mr. Banner took her schedule and initialed it. "Here's a text book," he said, handing her a tome. "And here you are," he said with a small smile, handing back her schedule. "Please take that empty spot there by Mr. Masen." He waved to the back of the room, where a young man sat alone at a bench.

Bella nodded and took a step when the air in the room shifted. She hesitated a beat, barely noticeable to the rowdy human teenagers around her as her mouth filled with venom and the sudden urge to pounce on one of the children in the room over took her. She repressed the foreign desire, continuing at a human pace to the back of the room where the scent that triggered the blood lust grew stronger, and she was able to identify it belonging to the boy she'd been told to sit by. He was dressed simply in dark jeans, a dark green shirt under a black sweater. Her hands clenched as she swallowed back another mouthful of venom at the scent, both sweet and spicy, cinnamon and vanilla and something i_male_/i coming from the copper haired boy sitting alone. She slid into her seat, allowing her long brown hair to fall around her face, curtaining her from the boy and slightly masking his scent with her own, but she'd already gotten a good look at him.

He was physically gorgeous, adding to the draw that was pulling Bella in, all but begging for her to pull him close and find out if he tasted as good as he smelled. Her manicured fingernails bit into her palms as she fought another wave of desire to devour him. She stopped breathing immediately, and found the fervor dim slightly. She caught the curious look in his green eyes from behind black plastic rimmed glasses. His face was pale, his eyes slightly red around his lids and dark circles beginning to appear under his eyes as if he'd not been sleeping and Bella found herself instantly wanting to know why. He leaned heavily on his table, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger before dropping his chin to rest in his palm with a quiet sigh. Bella heard the quiet catch in his breath that he probably didn't even feel yet and she found herself wondering if he had asthma or some other breathing condition.

He turned toward her and she fought once again against her nature, to take this innocent boy and drain him dry, something she'd never experienced before and it was tearing at her inside.

"Hi. I'm Edward." His voice was like smooth velvet despite the undertone of tiredness that ran through his voice. "You're Bella, right?"

She nodded, unsure if she should risk breathing to answer, and then decided that not answering would be rude and inexcusable. "Yes. Nice to meet you." Her throat burned again as her senses were again assaulted with his scent, and she couldn't figure out why he hadn't pulled away from her already. No one ever sat in this close of proximity for this long, even when they weren't drawing her in against their will. She'd automatically pulled her shield in around her at school, but normally humans weren't sensitive enough to notice. Either this boy was extraordinarily perceptive, or something else was going on.

Thankfully further conversation was cut off as the lecture started. Bella once again stopped breathing to let the fire in her fizzle out as she tried to push away the images of how she could take out the class and then savor the boy. She tried to block out the memory of his scent, fighting the urge again to bury her nose in his neck and lick. She wouldn't be the reason they had to move again so soon, not because she'd slaughtered a room full of innocent children just to satisfy her lust and curiosity about this wonderful smelling boy. _Edward_ she reminded herself, trying to remember that he was a person with a family (she assumed) and not just another herd animal for her to hunt to satisfy her thirst. She wouldn't do that to Carlisle after they'd just gotten settled. The desire began to cool slightly as she rationalized with herself why she couldn't give in, how her family would react to having to pack back up and leave again so suddenly.

Not once did it enter her mind that she'd be sick as a dog for days if she gave in. She was focused on only not betraying or disappointing her family. She made herself focus on the details of Esme's face as she was so happy to decorate the new house, of Alice and Rose's joy at being so close to Seattle for shopping, of Emmet's whoop of joy at the off-roading opportunities the area presented to them. She pushed away the images her mind presented to her of _Edward_ broken and moving under her, the smell of fresh spilt blood, swallowing venom again as she imagined the way he tasted.

Finally the bell rang, breaking into her thoughts and freeing her from the torture she'd wandered into. She bolted, trying to remember to go slow, to look human as she gathered her books swiftly and made for the door, only to get too caught up in her escape and tripping over her own feet, only to crash into Emmett.

"Whoa, li'l sis. Where's the fire?" Emmett teased lightly as he righted her.

"Need out," she hissed so only he could hear. She could feel eyes on her back.

Emmett stepped back, letting her go, a puzzled expression on his face. Bella knew she was the last one anyone in the family expected to have struggles against being surrounded by humans, giving her aversion to their blood (and since Jasper was still so new to their way of life). She made her escape, but she could clearly hear the voices behind her.

"Hey, Masen," she heard Emmett greet Edward. Apparently they'd already met.

"Is she okay?" Bella heard Edward ask.

"Yeah, just girl stuff, y'know?" Emmett teased, and Bella groaned, knowing she'd be grilled about it later, as she escaped to the fresh air outside. She took a large breath, her mind clearing of the haze as his scent was washed away by the damp crisp air, though still internally shaken by the whole experience. She thought about reaching for her iPod and heading home to hide and figure out what the hell was going on, but she had gym with Alice, and it wouldn't do to ditch on their first day. As her head cleared, she felt guilty for what she'd even considered doing, though she tried to let it go, because she'd long ago come to terms with the creature she was, and she'd heard from others of her kind that there were those humans who called more loudly than others. But that didn't make her feel any better for knowing she'd nearly put her whole family at risk for that boy. i_Edward_/i.

Alice danced up to her and took her arm, leading her to the locker room. They wouldn't have to dress out, which Bella was thankful for. "So...?" Alice asked with a leading smile.

"'So' what?" I'm guessing you saw?" Bella asked, her mood lifting a bit in the presence of her hyperactive sister.

"Just him. You've been so distant lately," Alice said, a note of sadness in her voice.

Bella nodded. She'd been feeling a bit more isolated and lonely lately and that was usually reflected in her withdrawal from the family and interaction with them.

"So?" Alice asked again, bouncing lightly on her toes, her smile firmly back in place.

"It's bad, Alice," Bella said softly. "I _wanted_ him," she admitted quietly.

Alice stopped dancing at her side outside the doors to the gym. They entered quietly, found the coach and got signed in before settling on the bleacher's before they spoke again.

"Really?" Alice asked after a few moments watching the teams run around. "But, you, and..."

Bella ducked her head, letting her hair fall over her face again in a comforting curtain. "I know."

"That is bad," Alice said quietly.

Bella shrugged. "I'll manage. I'm not going to be the reason we have to move again so soon. Everyone seems to like it here so far." They'd only been (back) in Forks for a couple weeks, since before Christmas, and the weather meant they didn't have to stay inside all the time. Carlisle was settled into the hospital, and it couldn't be good for his career to get ripped out of a position as suddenly as sometimes happened.

Alice gave her a one armed hug. "One of these days, I'm going to make you see that you have needs worth being considered too," she said quietly in Bella's ear before settling back. "He's cute, though," she teased, back to her bouncy self.

Bella laughed softly. "Yes, he is. And apparently already befriended Emmett, too. Though something's odd about him," Bella mused. "He didn't shy away from me. I had shielded, but usually humans don't notice. He must be really perceptive or really stupid, or something else is going on. He's not one of us, but there could be something else..." Bella was just thinking out loud by that point.

"Hm."

Bella looked over at Alice, seeing her eyes glaze over slightly as she searched for a vision. "He's perceptive," she said quietly. "He knows things about people. He's not like Jasper, something else. He anticipates, knowing what people are going to say, or mean to say." Alice shook her head slightly, coming out of the vision. "I think we'll need to watch ourselves around him. You should be fine, but I'll make sure I talk to Emmett and Jasper. Rosalie doesn't have any classes with him."

Bella nodded, tucking her hair back behind her ear and out of her face. Alice's visions were fairly reliable, and Bella trusted them enough to not bet against Alice. There may be more that Alice wasn't telling her, but if that was so, then it wasn't anything Bella needed to know right away. The rest of the hour passed quickly enough, Bella having dug out her iPod and Alice her sketch book, until the bell rang and they trooped out to meet their siblings for the ride home.


	2. Chapter 2

Edward was late. He was never late for anything, but on the first day back from Winter Break, he'd finally managed to sleep, and then sleep through his alarm. Only his mom checking in on her way out got him moving. He dressed in a hurry in jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt and a sweater, not even checking to see if anything matched. Not bothering with his contacts, he slipped his glasses on, ran his hands through his hair, mussing it from bed-head to messy-chic (he hoped), and flew to the silver Volvo in the driveway.

He'd already missed the first fifteen minutes of zero hour Jazz ensemble and if he rushed, he'd make it for the second half. Hopefully Mr. Hall wouldn't be too upset – it was the first rehearsal back, and if he knew most of the guys, they'd be late, too. Edward sped through Forks, keeping a careful eye out for the local police, who liked nothing better than to wait at the exit for the high school and pull kids over for speeding. His CD player was turning out _Classical Graffiti_ by The Planets, a modern twist on some classical favorites that had kept him company on his trip to Seattle on Saturday when he'd run up to go to one of the many music stores for staff paper and other supplies, and then spent the day wandering around the city, enjoying being on his own.

Edward pulled into the parking lot and found a space easily, though it was filling up. He threw his messenger bag over his shoulder and waved at people who called out to him as he made his way to the music room.

"So nice of you to join us, Edward," Mr. Hall drawled as Edward took a seat. He was grateful to see that they weren't rehearsing, and it looked like more than half the ensemble was missing.

"Sorry. I overslept," he explained, settling into one of the black, straight backed rehearsal chairs.

"We were just looking at some charts we might play for Jazz Festival and the March concert," Mr. Hall explained, handing Edward some sheet music. "Take a look at those."

Edward shuffled through the four pieces, pausing to study each one for a moment, hearing the melody in his head as he read the notes on the page. The piano music was pretty straight forward, though he did see that one was a feature. Edward preferred classical piano, but Mr. Hall hadn't really been willing to take no for an answer to Edward's participation in the Jazz Ensemble. "Looks good to me," he said with a half shrug, handing the music back. Edward wasn't picky and would play whatever the set in front of him, at least with the jazz group. He got a little more vocal with the Orchestra in the afternoon.

Mr. Hall nodded, taking the music back. "Alright. We're rehearsing tomorrow morning, make sure you pass the word?"

Edward nodded. "Will do. See you later Mr. Hall." He picked up his bag again and made his way out of the building, stopping at a drinking fountain to fill his water bottle.

He glanced up as a striking looking boy passed him, a tiny brunette dancing alongside him. She waved at Edward, giving him a bright smile that he couldn't help but return. He hadn't ever seen them before, and decided they must be the new students that the school had buzzed about before the Christmas holiday.

He capped his bottle when it was full, clipping it to his messenger bag with a carabiner and followed the stream of students making their way to classes. His first class was trig, which wasn't all that difficult, save for being first thing in the morning. He usually had rehearsal and coffee to get him woken up, however, and hoped that with the first day back, it wouldn't be full of something he actually needed to concentrate on.

Edward entered the room to find the same couple who'd passed him in the breezeway sitting close together at the back of the room. He took his usual seat near the window about halfway back as other students started filing in and taking their seats.

"Masen."

Edward looked up at his surname, to find Mike Newton perched on the desk next to him. "Newton. Didn't see you at rehearsal this morning."

Newton rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man. You knew we wouldn't play today."

Edward shrugged. Newton thought he was hot shit on the trumpet and god's gift to women to boot, but Edward thought differently and mostly kept his opinion to himself. Newton had been a thorn in Edward's side since Edward's family had moved to Forks at the beginning of his freshman year of high school. "Hall says to be ready for tomorrow."

"Yeah, sure." Newton slid off the desk and into the chair. "So, you see those new kids this morning? That brunette girl looked like a fine piece of ass. Long hair and curves in all the right places…"

Edward shook his head, resisting the urge to hit Newton for even thinking that way about a woman. But Edward knew he'd been raised a bit old fashioned and to be a gentleman to women and his elders, and he couldn't say the same about Mike Newton. "I went straight to the band room this morning," he explained.

"Her sisters looked hot, too, man," Newton continued, either unaware or uncaring that two of them were behind him a few rows. Under the pretense of stretching, Edward turned to check, and they both had slightly amused smiles on their faces, though the blonde boy tucked his head a bit as he laughed quietly, and the pixie like girl just bounced in her seat. He turned back as Newton continued speaking. "I think they're taken though, the way they were hanging on those guys. Total shame, that, though I wonder, since they're not all related if they –"

"Newton," Edward warned suddenly, cutting him off with a nod toward the back of the room. He had a pretty good idea where Newton's thoughts were going if half the rumors he'd heard were true. He felt a headache building at his temples and realized he hadn't had anything to eat since lunchtime the day before. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stave it off, wondering at the lack of other warning signs his blood sugar had dipped too low.

"Shit," Newton cursed, glancing back. "Oh, hey, there's Amy and Jenn. Catch you later, dude." He launched himself out of the desk toward the two girls just come in the room.

"Whatever," Edward said. Newton was already halfway across the room.

Mr. Gibson strolled in at that point with his usual travel mug that students speculated contained more than just coffee. "Alright you heathens, settle down!" he called the class to order.

He spoke up again when the class settled down. "Welcome back. Please open your books to page 145 so we can get started with our review before we pick up the new material. I'll give you back your exams at the end of class. Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen, please see me after class so I can sign your schedules and see where you're at with the material." With that introduction, he dove into the review of the last unit.

The lesson passed quickly, for which Edward was thankful, and he stuffed the book back in his bag after the bell rang. He detoured by the cafeteria on his way to English to get a bottle of juice from one of the vending machines and made it to class by the skin of his teeth. He nearly couldn't get in the door because of a huge mountain was blocking the door. There was no way he could sneak by so he gently nudged the wall. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah? Oh, hey, sorry." The wall turned out to be a smiling kid that towered over even Edwards six-foot-two frame, with muscles to match. He stepped to one side and Edward skittered by and took one of the empty seats again against the wall under the window.

The rest of the class tittered quietly as Mrs. Ross checked in the new student, another Cullen, Edward heard, and then the guy was lumbering toward him. Edward forced himself not to cower in his seat, though he felt a thrill of nerves run through him. But Cullen (Edward hadn't heard his first name) slid into an empty seat a couple behind Edward, and he told himself not to turn around to see how he managed to fit into the desk/chair combination.

Edward sipped his orange juice as Mrs. Ross outlined the next big project for the class. They were covering Shakespeare, and they would have to team up with at least one other person to act out at least one scene from any of the three plays they'd be covering in the next six weeks. She handed out the assignment sheet and the text books, which were small individual books of "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Edward thumbed through the worn copies as the class started chatting again while Mrs. Ross moved around the room.

"I'll give you the next few minutes to start finding groups and getting organized. We'll start tomorrow with the first act of Romeo and Juliet."

Edward glanced around the room. He knew everyone in the room, and there wasn't anyone he really wanted to work with, though a few people were making eyes in his direction. It didn't escape his notice that they were mostly girls, and he smirked slightly as he guessed at their ulterior motives in pairing up with him, especially given the romantic nature of two of the plays. But as he watched, he noticed no one approaching the hulking figure a few rows back. Sensing his opportunity to avoid having to work with one of the girls he turned to him.

"Hey. I'm Edward." He extended a hand. "Sorry about earlier. I just didn't want to be late."

"Emmett Cullen." The large kid took his hand and shook it firmly, and Edward noticed his hand was cool to the touch, and that he could crush Edward's hand without a second thought. "No worries, man. I sometimes forget that I kinda hog the door," he said with a grin.

"So, think we could partner up on this?" Edward said, nodding toward the small group of girls that had gathered toward the back of the room staring in their direction. "Might keep off the horde, if you hear me."

Emmett laughed, a booming sound that filled the room. "Gotcha." He paused, seeming to consider for a moment, though Edward knew he was going to say yes. "Sure, why not. Could be fun. Got something in mind?" He grinned. "I know how they used to perform those plays, and I'm telling you, you're the only one of the two of us that could pass for Juliet."

Edward laughed at the suggestion. "I was actually thinking more along the lines of the duel scene, from either Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet," he said with a shrug.

"Sweet," Emmett answered with a nod, and Edward thought he detected a hint of an accent in his voice, but he didn't get a chance to pursue that thought as the bell rang. "Here, lemme get your info," Emmett said, pushing his notebook toward Edward.

Edward tore a sheet out and in half, scribbling down his phone and email while Emmett did the same. Edward slipped his half into Romeo and Juliet so he wouldn't lose it and gathered everything up again to head to History. He caught a glance at Emmett's schedule. "You've got history with Bell next?"

Emmett nodded, gathering his own books. "You too?"

Edward once again shouldered his bag. "Yeah. C'mon, I'll walk with you."

They made it out into the hallway, and Edward noticed that traffic parted around Emmett, though he didn't disrupt the flow of students. He frowned, not sure if it was his companion's size or something else about him that was causing everyone to scurry around him. "So, where'd you guys move from?" Edward asked to break the silence between them. That, and he was curious.

They stepped out of the building to cross to another, the fresh air making Edward breathe a bit easier for the moment, though he shivered suddenly, feeling adrenaline flood his system but not having a reason for it. He fought against it, shoving down the sudden desire to flee.

"We were living in Minneapolis," Emmett answered. "Carlisle, my dad, wanted to get out of the city for awhile, and took the open surgery position at the hospital here in town."

"Sounds like a big change," Edward commented. "Forks is definitely not a metropolitan area."

Emmett laughed again. "Don't I know it. We've been here two weeks and between Rose and Alice, I think I've heard every complaint about the lack of shopping opportunities they can come up with."

Edward grinned. "It's not all bad, though. Seattle isn't far, and Victoria's just across the strait by the ferry, then a short hop back across to Vancouver," he found himself explaining. "It's a long day, but do-able. My mom usually takes a couple weekends a year, though, and stays the night."

Emmett clapped Edward on the shoulder. "I'll have to remember to suggest that to the girls. Sounds like something they'd like to do."

"No problem." Edward led him to the history class and took his seat in the middle of the room, since Bell liked everyone to sit in alphabetical order by last name. He took out his materials again and settled back to wait for Bell to finish signing in Emmett and begin another boring lecture on the Civil War.

When the bell rang, Edward collected his book and discarded his juice bottle into a recycling bin, turning to see if Emmett was headed his direction again, but he caught the bigger boy's grin as he linked arms with a very attractive blonde and headed back down the hallway.

Edward considered skipping gym because his headache had reached a new level and he felt completely sapped of energy. But he trudged on into the locker room and changed into sweats and a t-shirt and half-heartedly participated in volleyball.

He didn't bother with a shower since his gym clothes were fairly clean and he'd not exactly exerted himself. Edward skipped lunch, deciding instead to nurse his headache in the car. He wasn't hungry anyway. He turned the heat up and slipped in one of the hackneyed but applicable Mozart for Meditation CD his mother had bought him a couple years ago. It helped him relax and he set the alarm on his cell phone and stretched out as much as he could on the back seat of the Volvo, allowing himself to drift off.

All too soon he was jarred from the light nap by his phone. He scrubbed a hand over his face, not feeling much better for the short nap. He drained the last of his water before pulling himself from the car, planning to refill it on his way to biology. He clipped the bottle to his bag as he pulled the keys from the ignition and relocked the vehicle.

Edward all but fell onto his stool in the biology lab, letting his bag drop to the floor, his filled water bottle making a quiet 'chulnk' as it sloshed. He slumped against the table, elbow on the table as he leaned into his palm. He ignored the other students as they filed in with renewed energy from lunch. Their noise made his head throb and he sat quietly, weighing his options between sticking out the next three hours, visiting the nurse, or just going home. But before he could decide anything, his thoughts were derailed as _she_ walked into the room.

It was the girl Newton had spoken of, Edward knew instinctively. He'd never seen her before, for one, and Newton's crude description hadn't done her justice. She was beautiful, pale skinned, long dark hair pinned back from her heart-shaped face, her eyes sharp and strangely colored, though it could have been the harsh lighting in the room. The dark blue top she wore looked nice against her skin, and she moved with an awkward grace Edward didn't think he'd ever seen before.

There were whispers around her and he picked out her name from the gossip. Bella suited her, he thought. Jessica, sitting in front of him spun around to the desk on his left to speak with Lauren, sending an overpowering wave of perfume toward him, making his head pound again, though he heard them speaking disparagingly of the new girl. He pinched the bridge of his nose again, trying to push away the throb that seemed to be taking over and looked up to see Bella sliding onto the stool next to him. Of course. He had the only empty seat in the room.

She ducked her head, her deep brown hair falling over her shoulder and around her face, blocking his vision of her.

"Hi," he said quietly. "I'm Edward. You're Bella, right?" He greeted her. As she shifted, he caught the scent of her shampoo, something light and floral that took him a moment to indentify. Freesia, he finally labeled it. He'd been wrong about her eyes; he'd thought they were a golden color, but when she looked at him, they were black, only a hint of color around the pupil.

She nodded. "Yes," She said after a beat. "Nice to meet you."

He was about to say something else when Mr. Banner started the lecture. Edward forced himself to pay attention, but kept glancing over at his desk mate, curious. She held herself almost stiffly, and he could see her hands clenched tightly. He was dimly aware of his headache fading slightly as he found something else to concentrate on. Mr. Banner was jumping fresh into new material and Edward had to drag his attention away from his subtle study of the brunette at his elbow to catch the details of the lab they'd be doing that week.

The bell rang and Edward turned back toward Bella, but she'd already bolted from her seat. He stifled a laugh as she tripped at the door, stumbling into Emmett. Edward hastily gathered his things and followed, watching Bella hurry down the hall.

"Hey, Masen," Emmett asked, a curious look on his face.

"Is she okay?" he asked Emmett, watching Bella go.

"Yeah. Just girl stuff, y'know?" Emmett teased, slapping Edward on the shoulder. His headache came back with a vengeance and he winced.

"Right," Edward answered. "What's your next class?" He asked more out of politeness than anything.

"Spanish with Villagrana," Emmett said.

Edward nodded. "Me too. Come on. She's a stickler for promptness." Again, the crowds of students seemed to part around them as Edward led them to Spanish.

"Ah, Señor Masen," Mrs. Villagrana greeted him as they entered. "Y Señor Cullen, verdad? Buenos tardes, jovenes."

Edward nodded. "Buenos tardes Señora Villagrana," he returned her greeting and left Emmett to her. He smiled hearing Emmett's accent, noting in a few words that it was nearly flawless. He watched, amused, as Señora tested Emmett's Spanish quickly, engaging him in a brief conversation while the other students shuffled in, anxious to be done with their day.

Emmett passed him with a smirk, moving to a seat near the back of the room. Edward was pretty sure she'd told him where to sit so he'd partner with someone weaker. Señora was pretty good at mixing up the class so everyone had the chance to learn from their partner.

The lesson for the day was an easy one, some new vocabulary and verb conjugation. Edward tried to ignore the looks his partner, Lauren Mallory, gave him as they were exchanging lines from the text book, then making up their own dialogue. He was nothing but polite to her, but she seemed to think she could throw herself at him and he'd fall for it like everyone else in the school. She was pretty enough, but after having gone to school with her for years, he knew there wasn't much going on between her ears. She thrived on gossip, and had been bad mouthing the new students with Jessica throughout biology, as if one of them wasn't sitting right there able to hear them.

The bell rang and Edward gathered his things again, sighing in relief to be done with the worst part of the day. Emmett waved over his shoulder, again hooking up with that blonde from earlier in the day and Edward nodded with a grin, splitting off in the opposite direction back toward the band room for orchestra rehearsal.

By the time he finally made it home, Edward was exhausted. He trudged up the stairs to his room after dropping his keys to the Volvo on the table near the door. His parents weren't home yet, so he didn't bother calling out. His father was an attorney who'd once practiced in Chicago but had needed to relocate and reduce his case load after he'd had a heart attack when Edward was thirteen. The small practice he ran in Forks was enough to keep him busy, and he occasionally lectured at law schools on some of his more famous cases. His mom was a psychiatrist who kept late hours for her patient's convenience. It wasn't unusual for him to be on his own for dinner most nights. Though he didn't particularly feel like eating anything. His headache had never faded and at some point during the day, his throat had gone scratchy and he'd generally begun to feel like crap warmed over.

He left his messenger bag hanging on the back of his desk chair and exchanged his sweater and jacket for a hoodie and replaced his shoes with a pair of thick socks. After a moment, he changed into a pair of heavy sweatpants as well, and made his way downstairs for something warm to drink. While water for tea heated in the microwave he downed a couple of Tylenol with some orange juice and slumped against the counter, idly watching the mug turn on the plate in the microwave.

He hummed idly to himself, one of the pieces they'd run through in orchestra rehearsal, smiling softly as Bella's face floated in his vision for a moment. He'd felt instantly drawn to her, though something felt off at the same time. He couldn't get the way she'd held herself out of his head, so tense and withdrawn, and he'd half wondered if he'd done anything wrong. He'd only introduced himself, and he hadn't thought he'd smelled. Maybe he should have showered after gym after all.

The microwave dinged and Edward pulled the mug out by the handle, dropping in a bag of green tea and slowly climbing the stairs back to his room. The pile of books on his desk taunted him, and he switched on his stereo to some light jazz and with a sigh, cracked open his Spanish book, getting it out of the way first. When he was done copying sentences from the text book, he carried his mug and the battered edition of Romeo and Juliet and settled on his bed to read.

He woke sometime after dark, freezing, huddled in on himself under the covers of his bed. He hadn't remembered getting under, or leaving the side lamp on.

"Hey, kiddo," he heard his dad, and turned toward the voice. Edward Masen Sr. deposited a glass of water and a couple of tablets onto the table next to his bed.

"Dad?" Edward squinted. He wasn't wearing his glasses, and his father's face was fuzzy. He felt something cool on his face and something comb through his hair, his mom's quiet humming behind him.

His dad chuckled quietly. "Who else? Though you've been pretty out of it."

Edward felt the bed dip, and he assumed his father had perched on the edge of the bed, but he didn't move. His whole body ached. "Time izzit?"

"Not quite midnight," his mother answered quietly, and Edward realized she was petting through his hair. "Take these, and go back to sleep. Dr. Cullen said the flu's been going around pretty bad, and you'll be knocked out for the week, probably."

Edward shifted enough to swallow the pills he was given with half the glass of water before curling up again. "Kay." He didn't have the energy to protest.

His dad laughed quietly again and Edward didn't take it personally. He knew he turned into an overgrown five-year old when he was ill. "Get some rest, kiddo."

He felt lips against his cheek. "Feel better, Edward," his mom said quietly.

Edward nodded. "Night, dad, mom," he mumbled, already halfway back to sleep. He shifted once more to get comfortable and drifted back off to sleep to an image of long brown hair that smelled of freesia.


	3. Chapter 3

The teasing had started on the way to the car. Of course Emmett had started it, having been there to more or less see her struggle.

"So, little Bella's finally found herself a man?" Emmett teased, dropping one of his heavy arms around her shoulders and tugging her close. "Or was it a girl? Cause that'd be hot, y'know."

"Emmett!" Alice scolded him as Bella rolled her eyes, ducking out of his grasp. Even after talking with Alice she'd felt like her emotions were all over the place, and after a glance at Jasper, she confirmed it, and pulled her shield back around her in a comforting blanket. It helped cut down on the feeling that they were being watched and filtered some of the curious voices from students around them.

"Oh?" Rosalie asked with a bright smile, taking Emmett's other arm. "Do tell, Bella. What's he like?"

She shrugged. "I don't know what you're all going on about," she said with a frown. She wasn't ready to reveal her weakness to them yet. She'd always been the one they'd turned to when they'd struggled with their thirst. Bella was still too upset with herself to be able to graciously deal with their teasing, even though she knew Emmett didn't mean anything by it, and decided to 'walk' home.

"I'll catch you guys later," she said, stepping away and walking at a normal pace until she was sure she was out of eyesight and she _ran_. She pushed away her thoughts and focused on the feeling of flying through the wilderness, smelling the earth and animals around, feeling the wind on her skin. She caught scent of a small pack of deer and changed direction easily, bringing down an older buck that slaked the thirst he'd awoken within her, though it didn't taste near as good as she'd imagined _he _would.

Bella sat for hours, trying to reconcile her feelings from that day, listening to one of her more melancholy playlists. Her mobile phone beeped several times in her pocket, but she ignored the texts from Alice as she struggled with her thoughts.

There were days where she truly hated what she'd became, though it was through no fault of her own. She found out years after she'd turned that she'd caught the eye of a tracker, a vampire that lived only for the hunt. He had caught her with the intention of turning her to be his companion. She'd tried to love James, but her inability to consume human blood had driven him to mistreat her, though it wasn't her fault. He wouldn't permit her to hunt animals only, and she'd grown weak from the illness that ravaged her when she fed as he did or from hunger. James would drag home humans for her, and nearly mad with hunger, she fed, only to fall ill as her body rejected the sustenance. In turn, she'd manipulated him in the only way she could, growing to hate herself and James more each year. After twenty years he'd finally grown bored with her and turned her out, weak with hunger, and with little exposure to the world in her new form.

She recalled with perfect clarity her first hunt. She'd wandered into a park, unsure of where she was, when the call of the elk to each other drew her attention. She was trembling with hunger, clumsy and unsure, but she tracked the beasts and even in her state had been able to bring down one of the weaker of the pack. The fresh blood revived her, and she drew some strength of her newfound ability to care for herself, after having been dependant on James or others in his coven for so long.

Bella had wandered alone for years, never staying in one place for more than a year, eventually landing in Chicago during the First Great War. She learned to make a life for herself, her natural aversion to human blood but an overwhelming sense of compassion and a need to make right by her sire (and her own sins while she'd existed in James' coven) led her to a life as a nurse, tending to wounded soldiers returned from war. She'd met Carlisle Cullen during the Spanish Influenza pandemic in 1918, and had been with him ever since. He'd helped her come more to terms with who she was and what good she could do with her life, helped her to understand that she wasn't an evil creature for the sins she perceived as hers. And slowly, she'd began to accept it.

She'd not fed on human blood (other than for research purposes) since those days with James, the pain and fear of the blood-sickness, and the despair of disappointing Carlisle (and then the rest of the family) had always been enough to override the appetites. The urge to feed from Edward was new and strange and overpowering in a way she'd never expected. She'd never before felt such a need for human blood, even while surrounded by open wounds, freshly bleeding.

Sitting alone in the forest brought no clarity for Bella, so she returned to their home on the outskirts of Forks, hidden by the woods allowing them their privacy and space to truly be themselves. The others had seemed to have forgotten about teasing her when she returned and went straight for her rooms, placing her iPod on the dock to charge as she had changed into comfortable clothes. She tossed her book bag onto the desk in her study and flopped onto the chaise in her lounge, staring absently out the wall of windows until Rosalie and Alice broached her sanctuary for 'girl time.' Bella found her spirits lifted after watching chick flicks and planning a shopping excursion for the next weekend. Alice hadn't even picked on her choice of 'pajamas.'

On Tuesday, when she didn't see Edward in the cafeteria and his seat in biology was empty, she thought perhaps she'd managed to put him off after all, the innate predator within her making him feel uncomfortable enough that he'd switched classes. But by Wednesday it had been clear that it wasn't anything she'd done, as the school's population dropped sharply as students succumbed to the flu. The whole community had been hit hard, to the point where Carlisle had even been added to the rotation for general doctors at the hospital since they were seeing an increase in patients. The family maintained a story about flu shots to excuse their immunity. With Carlisle working in the hospital, it wasn't too much of a stretch.

"Bella, phone!" Alice called out a moment before the house phone rang on Wednesday evening. Bella frowned as she ran down the stairs, picking up the phone in the kitchen before the first ring had ended.

"Cullen Residence?" She answered.

"Oh. Hi." A soft voice spoke quietly. Bella instantly recognized the velvet tones, despite not having spoken to him in two days, and even then only a few words. "Is Bella or Emmett available?"

"Speaking," Bella responded to the question. She could hear Emmett upstairs.

"Well, Cullen, I'd say your voice changed in the couple days. Give one of your sisters too hard a time?" the tired and hoarse voice teased lightly.

Bella laughed softly at the weak joke. "It's Bella," she clarified, biting her lip to keep from smiling brightly. She hadn't expected his voice to affect her so much.

"I guessed. It's Edward. Masen. Um." He paused and Bella heard something muffle the sound of the receiver but she could still hear dry tired coughing over the line. "'Scuse me," he said softly. "Sorry to bug you, but can I get the biology homework?"

"Oh, sure. Hang on. Lemme get Emmett, too." She handed the phone to Emmett who had already dug out his assignments after some prompting from Alice, Bella guessed. She called for him anyway, to keep up pretenses as she dashed up the stairs for her biology notebook, locating it under a stack of novels in her study. She flew back downstairs settling against the wall to listen to the boys' conversation.

"Naw," Emmett said as she returned. "A good chunk of the school's been out the last couple days. They're all pushing the big stuff back." He paused and Bella could hear Edward speaking softly on the other end, asking about something from their English class. "Don't worry about it, man. We'll get caught up when you're feeling better." Emmett winked at her. "Bella's in a different class, but she's up for helping us out if we need it."

Bella rolled her eyes. English was Emmett's least favorite subject. Reading, even at vampire speed, was too slow for him. She shouldn't agree to help them, having decided to stay away from the boy. But it appeared that he and Emmett had already become friends of a sort, and that would make it harder for her to avoid him. But she could do it. It was dangerous, for all of them, for him to get too close, or for Bella to spend too much time with him. She couldn't help being what she was, and even her even-temper could only hold out so long, no matter how ill his blood would make her, there was always the possibility her nature would overtake her reasoning, and she'd kill him. So she just had to stay away.

"Yeah, she's right here. See you Monday? Right. Take it easy, man." Emmett handed Bella the phone back. "Make your move, baby girl," he said too low and fast for Edward to have heard over the phone.

Bella thwapped him across the back of the head, both for the insinuation and the 'baby girl' comment. Though Emmett had been physically older when he'd been turned, Bella had a couple of decades on him. It was something they argued over when Emmett was in one of his rare philosophical moods.

"I'm back," she spoke into the phone, thumbing her notebook open. She read off the assignments to her lab partner, and described the lab that Mr. Banner had attempted, only to give up when only half the class was present.

"Sounds like it's been an interesting couple days," Edward said, a rough edge to his voice.

Bella heard the muffled coughing again. "Yeah, has been. I should let you go," she said in a rush. She couldn't let herself be dragged into a friendship with this boy. It was too dangerous for all of them. "Feel better, okay?" she told herself she was just being polite.

"Uh. Yeah. Thanks. See you Monday," Edward said, and Bella could hear the confusion in his voice at her sudden end of the conversation.

Bella hung up and sighed. Why couldn't he have just recoiled from them like everyone else did? Bella knew she wasn't exactly threatening looking, being utterly plain, slight of build and not very tall, but she was dangerous and most people sensed that about her. And if not her, surely Edward should have been intimidated by Emmett's size? Most people steered completely clear of her bear of a brother, yet Edward had apparently thought nothing of approaching him.

She groaned as she threw herself on the sofa in the living room, hearing the frame creak with the impact. She was confused, even more so than she had been at the beginning of the week. She closed her eyes, wishing not for the first time that she could sleep. Her fingers twitched to switch on the ever-present iPod she'd left on her desk and sighed.

Maybe she should just leave after all. Take the opportunity to go out on her own again for awhile. Carlisle and Esme could pass her absence off in any number of ways: boarding school, a year abroad, an extended illness, anything.

"You're leaving?" Alice's voice pulled Bella from her musings.

Bella opened her eyes to see Alice perched on the edge of the couch, her golden eyes heavy and sad. "I think it might be best," she said quietly as she pulled herself up to sit in the corner of the sofa.

Alice shook her head. "No, it won't be. You need to be here, Bella. I can't – it's all fuzzy and indistinct, but it's bad if you leave."

"I can't stay, Alice. It's dangerous."

"For you or for him?" Alice asked simply.

Bella sighed again and ran her hands through her loose hair in frustration, giving one end a tug. "For all of us. I haven't been able to stop thinking about him, and it's been two days. We barely spoke, but I can't get him out of my head. I don't want to put us at risk by doing something to expose us, and I'm not sure I can control myself around him."

"You can," Alice said firmly, and Bella heard the sentiment throughout the house as her family agreed. "You're stronger than all of us, Bella, at least when it comes to this."

Bella hung her head, letting her hair fall around her face. They all had such faith in her, that she could do this. "Alice-"

"Give it the week, Bella, please?" Alice begged quietly. "He'll be out until Monday. Take some time to think about it, for me?"

Bella glanced up into her sister's topaz eyes again and nodded. "I'll think about it."

Alice smiled and threw herself into Bella's arms for a hug. "If you let yourself, you could be happy, Bella. Think about it." Alice kissed her cheek and slid off her lap.

Bella sat quietly for hours, thinking about Alice's words. What did she mean, Bella could be happy? Bella was content with her life, for the most part. Sure, it got lonely at times being surrounded by mated pairs, but she was happy. Wasn't she? The night passed with her sitting silently in the den, sunrise breaking her thrall and she rose to start her morning routine.

Throughout the week, Bella found herself thinking about the boy. _Edward_. She found herself worried when he hadn't turned up by Friday, though she tried to not think about the implications of those feelings and tried to push them away when they bubbled to the surface (and Alice had told her that he wouldn't be in until Monday). But every time she saw his empty stool in class, her thoughts drifted to him and how he was doing. She waffled back and forth between deciding to leave and making herself miserable if she stayed, by being in his presence every day and torturing herself.

In her hundred (and seventeen) years, she hadn't felt that way about anyone. She loved her family, sure, but this was something else entirely, and she knew it. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something that was drawing her to the boy, to _Edward_ besides his scent and good looks. She barely knew him; how could she be that worried about someone she'd barely said two words to? Why was she so anxious that she hadn't seen him in five days? Why did the thought of him suffering tug at her silent heart? She knew that influenza was no longer the same disease that had led her to meet Carlisle in Chicago in the 1918, and she knew about all the medical advances made in the last half century, but it didn't help ease the strange feeling of wrongness when her thoughts wandered to him. _Edward_.

The rest of the week passed uneventfully. Alice was right and there was no more torment for Bella, at least not in the form of a gorgeous green-eyed boy at her side in Biology. The monotony of high school was a different form of torture Bella wished once again she could forgo. Except that meant not seeing Edward.

Again her thoughts wavered on the subject. She kept her shield tight around her, knowing she'd be driving Alice and Jasper (by proxy) mad with her indecision. Throughout the week she distracted herself wherever possible from thinking about Edward or leaving or any variation on those thoughts. She spent more time with her family in their pursuits, finding her thoughts wandering when she tried to read or listen to music.

She knew Carlisle suspected something wasn't right, but Bella wasn't ready to talk to him about this yet. He wouldn't persuade her one way or the other, and what she needed was guidance. That, and it felt a bit weird talking to her 'father' about a boy. So Saturday afternoon, while Alice and Rosalie were out shopping in Seattle and the boys had gone hunting, Bella tracked Esme to her study.

"Esme?" Bella said as she knocked on the door frame, as the door was ajar.

"Yes dear?" Esme looked up from some architectural plans she was consulting.

"Am I interrupting?" Bella stepped over the threshold.

"Of course not, Bella. Come in." Esme shifted from her drafting table to the couch set under the windows and beckoned Bella to sit with her. "What's troubling you?"

"Did Alice tell you I was thinking about leaving?" Bella decided to just jump right into it.

Esme shook her head, but smiled softly. "No, but she didn't really need to. You've been elsewhere, mentally at least, this last week. Did something happen at school?"

Bella nodded. "There's a boy. He's been out most of the week, but come Monday…I'm not sure what to do, Esme," she confessed quietly. At Esme's encouraging nod, she continued. "I'm supposed to partner with him in biology," she continued softly, twisting her hands together. "When I walked into the room, his scent hit me like a wall, and I wanted more than anything to taste him. I've never smelled anything as appealing as him before, and it scares me."

Esme nodded again. "You fear your control won't hold."

Bella glanced up at her 'mother' and returned the nod. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about him this week. I feel drawn to him, Esme, like I need him to be a part of my life, but I don't want to expose us, and I'm worried that my resistance won't hold up. In class on Monday I actually thought about ways I could kill him and the rest of the class," she admitted in a whisper. "I feel guilty for wanting him. For wanting to taste him, for wanting to give in to what I am for once in my life. I feel guilty for putting us all at risk."

"Oh, sweetheart," Esme said sadly and tugged her close into a hug. "And would leaving make that any better?" she asked quietly, running a hand through Bella's long auburn hair. "Would it make the guilt go away?"

Bella shrugged one shoulder. "I'll feel less guilty than if I slip up and kill that boy."

Esme continued to pet through her hair. "We all slip from time to time, Bella. It's not in our nature to resist for long, and you've been doing so for such a long time."

Bella nodded. "I know. I'm just scared and confused. I've never felt this way before, Esme, with anyone. Human blood has never appealed to me, and I've only taken it when I was forced to survive."

"Bella," Esme said softly, tipping her chin up to meet her eyes. "Just because we live for a very long time doesn't mean that things don't change. You say you like to watch the sunrise because you like the hope that the dawn brings with the new day. Along with that new day are challenges that we have to face."

Esme paused. "Now, if you really feel that you need to go, we won't stop you. We'll all miss you, but we'd understand. Only you can decide what you need to do, but think about the reasons for it. We all just want you to be happy, dear." She kissed Bella's temple.

Bella fell quiet and considered the truth of Esme's words. Because vampires perceived time differently, they reacted differently to change. And her 'mother' was right, the lure of the boy i_Edward_/i was a challenge, something she'd never run from in her life. Her family had faith in her. They wanted her to be happy. Alice had dropped a hint she'd be happy.

"Thank you, Esme," Bella said softly after a moment.

Esme smiled and kissed her forehead before Bella sat up. Bella curled back into the corner of the sofa and watched Esme work over her plans, considering her options and watching as the sky shifted outside, the sky growing darker despite the early hour and promising rain. She'd save running as a last resort only.

After making her decision to stay, Bella spent the rest of the weekend as she usually did. She hunted alone around twilight on Saturday and spent the rest of the night out in a favorite meadow, watching the sky and listening to music. There hadn't been many stars, but the clouds eventually cleared up and gave her a small view of the cosmos. She played video games with Emmett and Jazz, 'helped' Alice work on her latest designs by acting as a giant Barbie and kept Rose company while she tuned up Bella's motorcycle on Sunday once everyone had returned from their weekend activities out of the house. She'd left the biology assignments by the phone for Emmett in case Edward called again.

Sunday night she spent with an old favorite, Philip Glass, alternating between his solo piano performance, symphonies and other works. Although she did not play any instruments she was far from unmusical. She recalled singing in a choir as a child, and she knew she had a good sense of time, pitch, rhythm, but she'd never managed to find an instrument to work with. Perhaps she'd try guitar again, she thought as the sounds of Symphony No 3 faded out. But despite the lack of actual music performance in her history, she'd soaked up as much music appreciation and classes in that vein as she could over the years. Though she analyzed and compared a lot, it never took away from her pure enjoyment of just listening to the music.

She laid back in her chaise in her lounge and closed her eyes, visualizing the music as it washed over her, blocking everything else out. _His_ face would pop into her head occasionally and she pushed it away, along with her confusion, anxiety, and desire for him. She pushed it all away until there was nothing left but the music.

Sometime before dawn she felt her couch shift, and from the slight change in weight she guessed it to be Alice. Bella peeked an eye open, watching the smaller vampire watching her. Jasper and Alice both sought her out when things got to be too much for either of them. Alice's visions could get out of control, and she'd use Bella as a shield for herself to block them for a time if she felt like she was losing her ground in the present. Jasper found her presence comforting for the same reasons. When emotions were high, they'd go for a run with Bella shielding herself so Jasper could focus on himself, or envelop them both. Bella didn't mind in the slightest. Jasper was easy enough to be around and Alice was her best friend, even if she treated Bella like a Barbie doll more often than Bella'd like.

"I'm glad you didn't leave," Alice said softly, crawling up to lay with Bella. Bella shifted to make room for her on the chaise, dropping her arm around Alice's waist.

"I'm still scared, Alice," she admitted quietly.

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face," Alice quoted. "You are able to say to yourself 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

Bella smiled softly. "Mrs. Roosevelt was a smart woman."

"I always thought so," Alice agreed.

They laid there together for awhile, Bella offering Alice one of the ear buds and flipped over to a different playlist and they soaked up the music together in the hour before sunrise. Before Alice could dress Bella for the day, Bella stepped into her study and out on her balcony to observe the sunrise in quiet. Alice joined her, settling quietly at her side as they watched in silence. The low clouds provided a brilliant pattern of colors in the sky as it lightened from black to a light gray, passing through shades of orange and pink.

Bella continued to watch after Alice rose smoothly and disappeared back through the study to Bella's lounge and closet. She gave Alice ten minutes before she rose and followed.

"He'll be back today," Alice called from within the closet. "He almost let his mom talk him into another few days but he decided no."

Bella didn't have to ask who Alice was talking about. She couldn't figure out why Alice was so interested in him, though. If she knew something, she wasn't sharing it with Bella. She pushed away the small bubble of sadness that had popped up with Alice mentioned him almost not going back to school, because she couldn't figure out what was making her feel that way.

"Here," Alice proclaimed as she emerged from the closet with an outfit and thrust it at Bella. Sometimes she argued that she was old enough to pick out her own clothes and dress herself, but most days she knew it made Alice happy and let the smaller girl have her way. She'd long ago accepted that Alice had better taste and that at some level she was grateful that Alice took the time with her.

Alice perched on the chaise while Bella dressed in the knee length brown suede skirt with off white tights, and a cream colored sweater with a v-neck that showed just the right amount of cleavage, flipping through one of the books resting on the table. "Do you need to hunt before school?" She asked quietly. "You could come out with Jasper and me."

Bella shook her head, pulling her hair out of the neck of the sweater. "I'll be fine. I just went Saturday. It's only an hour, and I won't breathe." She wasn't sure who she was making the promise to, herself or Alice.

Alice fixed Bella with a stare and Bella stepped back, pulling her sphere of influence off of Alice, allowing her her vision. Alice nodded. "You'll be fine. Not breathing may be tricky, though," she said with a grin.

Bella nodded. She wouldn't put the family at risk – she was strong enough. And if not – if the day went as badly as the first time they'd met, she'd just switch classes and do her best to stay away from him. And if that didn't work, she still had her backup plan.

Alice studied her for a moment and nodded, ducking back into Bella's closet for a pair of low-heeled boots that matched her skirt, and a simple beaded necklace of topaz and amber, with a cross with diamonds on the points and a garnet at the center. It had belonged to Bella's mother. She'd been wearing it when James had taken her, and it was one of the few things she clung to besides her music. Given the mythology that surrounded their kind, the cross was something of an ironic piece, but most days, it matched her coloring and it comforted her. Alice had chosen well.

Bella tugged on the boots and clipped the necklace in place under her hair, which she wore down and loose.

Alice flung herself at Bella when she straightened up again. Bella wrapped her arms around the smaller girl. "Hey, now," she said softly as Alice burrowed into her, raising a hand to pet through the short spiky hair. "What's this?" She was used to Alice's sudden shifts in mood, but she never quite knew what to expect when they did shift – it was a byproduct of her living so much in the future and seeing what was coming.

"You're going to be _happy, _Bella," Alice said quietly, looking up with a bright smile on her face. "You just have to let it happen."

Another thing Bella thought she'd never get used to was Alice's penchant for speaking in riddles so as to not give everything of her visions away. "I'll try," she promised quietly, dropping a kiss to her sister's forehead. She'd said the same words nearly a week ago, and she wondered if something had changed to clear up Alice's vision of the future. "You'd better go collect Jazz if you're going hunting before school."

Alice nodded and went up on tiptoe to kiss Bella's cheek. "See you at lunch!" And then she was gone.

Rosalie and Emmett were planning on going to Port Angeles after school, so Bella paused to consider changing her clothes and taking her motorcycle, or going as she was in her restored classic Chevy truck. Alice would pout if Bella changed clothes after the effort of putting the ensemble together, so Bella grabbed her brown, thigh length leather jacket from her closet, took her key from the peg in the garage and backed her truck out instead of her motorcycle. Besides, she decided, as rain started to trickle down, a motorcycle in the weather would draw more attention.

Carlisle's Mercedes was already gone, as was Alice's Porsche and Rose's BMW. With a quiet sigh, Bella hooked her iPod into the auxiliary jack Rose had installed when she'd done the overhaul and made her way to school. None of her family really liked riding with her; despite the modifications Rose'd made, the truck still didn't drive as fast as the rest of the family liked to go. Bella got her speed fix from her motorcycle.

She turned to a soft jazz playlist and let the mellow tones soothe her on her way to school.


	4. Chapter 4

Edward pulled into the parking lot at Forks High with ten minutes to spare. His mom had fussed on him that morning, trying to convince him to take another couple days off to fully recover. But he'd felt fine and had been more than ready to get back to school. He'd been bored since Friday when his body had finally decided he hadn't needed to sleep all the time. He wouldn't admit to it, but he did still feel a little rough around the edges, but he needed to get back into his routine.

"Edward, welcome back," Mr. Hall greeted as he entered the band room. "Feeling better?"

He nodded. "Yup." Edward unwound the wool scarf his mother had insisted he wear and let it hang around his neck after stripping off his jacket and leaving it and his messenger bag at the piano bench. "Thanks. What'd I miss?"

"Not much. We've been missing half the group for most of the week, so we've been working on some combo charts instead of the big band stuff we looked at last week. We'll see who we've got back today."

Edward nodded, glancing around. Newton was there, of course, fiddling with a music stand trying to get it perfect, his case sitting next to him on the floor. He looked washed out and pale as well, and Edward felt slightly guilty for having a stab of satisfaction at knowing Newton had been as miserable as Edward had been. His mother had raised him better than that.

"Hey, Masen, you look like shit." Newton said with a smirk, and Edward suddenly didn't feel bad for his thoughts. He just rolled his eyes and crossed the room to where his folder was stored in the slats and back to the piano.

The next ten minutes were filled with sound as most of the rest of the band arrived and started warming up. Edward played a little, loosening up. He hadn't played much for the last week, just a bit over the weekend.

"Alright, settle down!" Mr. Hall called out and everyone stopped playing and shifted in their seats. "Now that it looks like we've got everyone back and healthy, we've got some work to do. We'll be headed down to Salem for the Jazz Festival the second Saturday in February and we've still got a lot of work to do. I want to start pinning down solo space this week, and we'll be doing some sectional work and individual time on solos. We'll rehearse today, Wednesday, and Friday," Mr. Hall said, reading off his notes. "Tuesday I want rhythm section and brass with me, and the saxes can do sectional in the choir room. Thursday rhythm and saxes with me, brass can split up and do sectionals on stage or in the choir room." He looked up. "Any questions?"

"If we're not soloing, do we need to be here?" Sue spoke up from her place at the end of the trumpet section. She anchored the section on the lowest parts and was content to let the guys have the glory of the upper and solo parts, but she was still a fantastic player, and more pleasant to be around than the rest of her section.

"Yes. Next?" Mr. Hall said, looking over the group. "Alright. Take another couple minutes to warm up, Edward, tune 'em up, and we'll get started."

Edward gave everyone a couple minutes to put warm air through their horns and played a couple chords for the band to tune themselves to the piano. Mr. Hall returned and they pulled up the first chart, getting to work.

Mr. Hall dismissed them a few minutes before the bell so they'd have time to pack up before getting to first period. Edward slipped his folder into his bag to take home at the end of the day, and closed the lid over the piano so Mr. Hall could more easily move it out of the way for his other classes (and to keep people from pounding on it and driving it even further out of tune). He escaped the band room before he got stuck walking with Newton to trig.

Trig turned into study hall since Mr. Gibson was still out and the sub wasn't prepared to teach. Edward quietly worked in a book of staff paper, sketching out a melody that'd been in his head for a couple of days. It wasn't easy without a piano, but he could hear enough of the notes in his head that he'd just refine it later.

"Yo, Edward!" Emmett's voice carried through the hall.

Edward paused, waiting for the bigger boy to catch up. "Hey, Emmett."

"How you feeling, man?" Emmett clapped him on the shoulder and Edward hid a wince.

"Pretty good," Edward answered with a grin. "Hey, thanks for all the assignments and stuff this weekend. 'Preciate it."

Emmett shrugged and grinned. "Don't worry about it. You'll just have to return the favor someday."

"No problem." Edward entered his English class to find another sub behind the desk. "You weren't kidding when you said the school'd been taken out."

Emmett laughed. "Place was like a ghost town by Friday. Haven't y'all heard about flu shots?" he teased.

Edward laughed and slid into his seat. "I have a feeling that there will be a much larger demand for them here next year," he said as the bell rang.

"Good morning!" The substitute spoke up. "I have here that you've been studying Romeo and Juliet for the last week. We're going to watch the first forty-five minutes of a film version, and then you'll have the rest of the period to work with your group on your project."

One of the students jumped up to get the lights, and the sub queued up Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet. Edward settled back in his seat, fishing out his composition notebook again and continuing to work on his piece. He'd seen the movie before (his mother owned it) and tuned it out.

At one point he glanced back over his shoulder and smirked. Emmett was sleeping, mouth hung open, arms crossed over his huge chest, rising and falling slowly with each deep breath. Edward quietly balled up a piece of plain notebook paper and lobbed it over his shoulder, hoping to wake him quietly before the movie ended and/or the substitute caught him napping through the film. He grinned as he heard the change of breathing behind him and the rustle of clothes. He nearly laughed out loud when he felt something hit the back of his head, instinctively knowing it was the paper he'd thrown at Emmett coming back at him.

Edward blinked harshly when the lights came back up after the sub stopped the film, flipping his composition book closed and turning to face Emmett. "Nice nap?" He asked with a grin.

"Smart ass," Emmett mumbled, though the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Just saving yours from detention," Edward teased. "What would your gorgeous blonde think if you had to stay after school?"

"Who, Rosalie?" Emmett asked with a smile. "She'd figure out some way to join me," he said confidently.

"Wow," Edward said, completely deadpan. "She must really like you."

Emmett laughed. "Man, you have no idea. So what do you have in mind for this project?"He sobered suddenly, and Edward looked back toward the front of the room, catching the sub's glare at them.

Edward shrugged, turning back to face him. "There's the fight scene with Mercutio and Tybalt, but we'd need a third since Romeo's there and kills Tybalt," he thought out loud. "Or we could work out the duel at the end of Hamlet, but we'd need a couple more for that to work, too, unless we wanted to try to play more than one role. Midsummer Night's Dream is too hard cause it's all couples, 'cept for a few scenes of Puck and Oberon," he trailed off.

Emmett looked amused. "You really are a nerd, aren't you?"

Edward threw his pencil at Emmett, who caught it easily, laughing. "Hey, Sam," Edward greeted a tall, tomboyish girl he knew from orchestra and Joe, a dark-haired and skinned boy he didn't know very well. "Joe. What's up?"

"We heard you guys talking," Sam started nervously, glancing at Emmett. "Wondered if maybe we should pool resources. Any scene would be easier to do with four, I think, than two."

Edward glanced at Emmett, who shrugged and nodded. "Sure," Edward said. "Pull up a seat."

Sam and Joe grabbed a couple nearby desks and spun them so they sat in a loose circle. They chatted for a bit, tossing around ideas, finally deciding on something from Hamlet, since Sam didn't think she'd be able to pull off Juliet. They hadn't pinned down the exact scene, but Edward figured there was still time.

The bell rang and they packed up, agreeing to meet up at some point later in the week if they didn't get more class time to discuss the project.

Edward and Emmett continued on to history together. Edward pulled a banana from his bag for his mid-morning snack, and Emmett dug his phone out of his pocket after it beeped.

"Shit," Emmet swore softly. "Hey, man, I gotta bail. I'll email you later for notes and the homework, and we'll call it square?"

"Everything alright?" Edward frowned, swallowing the last of his banana. "Yeah, no problem. I'll catch you later."

"Not sure yet," Emmett answered with a puzzled expression of his own. "Thanks, Edward." Emmett took off down the hall.

Edward wondered what was up but continued down the hall to history, tossing his banana peel in the trash before he entered the room.

He endured another lecture on the civil war, taking notes like a good student, but he was somewhat distracted by the appearance of the sun cutting through the room suddenly. It seemed he wasn't the only one as everyone in the room looked up at the additional brightness that actually lasted most of the class period. The rays of sunshine contrasted greatly with Mr. Bell's stammering lecture, and Edward found himself disappointed when the clouds moved back in over the sky, returning the blanket of grey that had been momentarily cast away.

Gym passed quickly in several rounds of volleyball in which Edward's team managed to win all of their games. He showered quickly after gym to rinse off and cool down a bit before changing back into his jeans, t-shirt, button up shirt and sweater. He carried his heavy coat and scarf over his arm with his bag slung across his body as he made his way to the cafeteria. His appetite had returned, so he stood in line for a turkey sandwich, an orange, and milk, remembering that his mom had slipped a couple of her oatmeal chocolate chip cookies into his bag on his way out in the morning.

After making his purchase, he looked around for a table.

Newton was surrounded by his groupies as usual at a couple of tables at the center of the room, but Edward ignored them and floated toward one of the tables on the periphery, sitting with some of the people he knew from orchestra. He never really sat with the same group, wandering around between the various cliques that he didn't join, but that welcomed him as a social drifter. He might have joined Emmett, but he didn't see him or any of his siblings in the lunch room. Whatever had called Emmett away was apparently serious enough to warrant his whole family's attention.

He fell into easy conversation with three boys, Danny, Ethan, and Kevin while he ate his sandwich and toyed with his milk carton. They were sophomores, and closer to the nerdy end of the social spectrum, but they at least talked about something beyond girls and passing around school gossip. Ethan and Kevin were arguing over how much the situation in Iraq mirrored that of Vietnam with Danny or Edward offering occasional commentary as they ate.

"Dude," Danny breathed, stopping their conversation.

Edward looked at him and followed his eyeline, watching as ithey/i entered the room. The room seemed to fall quiet for a moment, like everyone had paused in their conversation to watch them. Alice danced around Jasper, like she usually did (or at least always seemed to whenever Edward saw her), Emmett had that blonde hanging on his arm, and there i_she_/i was.

Edward's somewhat hazy memory of the previous Monday hadn't done her justice. She looked gorgeous in brown and cream, the skirt accentuating her curves, her long hair fall loose around her shoulders, a jacket folded over her arm. Though he told himself she'd be gorgeous in anything or nothing (and then mentally hit himself for thinking it), her heart shaped face accentuated with a touch of makeup, lips perfectly plump and an easy expression on her features. She was as perfect as if he'd sketched her to life himself. It was no wonder half the school was talking about her. He was convinced it just meant that the other half hadn't seen her yet.

He released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding as they all settled at a table across the room and volume in the room appeared to return to normal. Something in him eased when he saw her, and he had to finally admit to himself that he'd been looking forward to returning to school to see her again.

He'd almost forgotten that he'd spent all weekend thinking about her, and how much he wanted to speak with her, to apologize for whatever he'd done to upset her last week, and on the phone. He hadn't realized he'd gone through most of the morning as usual, even chatting with Emmett and hadn't consciously registered his relationship to her; it was easy to forget they were brother and sister, since they looked nothing alike and had different names. But on seeing her enter the room with her family, that all came rushing back.

He ripped his gaze away, realizing he was staring and turning into an idiot at the mere sight of a girl, turning his attention back to his turkey sandwich as he attempted to pick up the thread of their previous conversation. His eyes would drift to their table occasionally, watching her toy with an apple and a diet soda, or adjust something on her iPod. Each time he forced himself to look away. He vaguely remembered her running from him, though he couldn't recall if it was part of his fevered dreams from the previous week or if that had actually happened. Still, he felt rude watching her like a common pervert and forced himself to focus back on his table-mates.

"Dude," Danny said again, nudging Edward. "Bella Swan is staring at you."

"Is it a death glare, or something else?" Edward asked quietly, not looking up. He'd pulled out a text book when Ethan had asked him a question about something from trig.

"Hm."

Edward looked up then. "Danny, don't i_stare_/i," he hissed, smacking Danny's shoulder, watching his friend studying the girl before turning his gaze toward her again.

"What, man? You asked!" Danny grumped, rolling his shoulder.

No, she wasn't wearing the death glare he thought he'd get after her response in class last week, but she looked more curious and pensive. He met her eyes from across the room and he felt almost like she was looking through him. Her eyes were that curious golden color again, drawing him in. Something seemed to crackle up Edward's spine as they looked at each other, the air seemed charged suddenly, like before a thunderstorm, too much energy in the atmosphere.

It dissipated suddenly when Bella dropped her gaze, ducking her head and leaning into the arm that had appeared over her shoulder, and Edward released another breath slowly.

"Whoa," Ethan said lowly. "iThat/i was intense."

Edward nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. He felt strangely disconnected after that. "Hey, I'll catch you guys at rehearsal," he said suddenly, stacking his trash on top of his book and rising. He needed some air. He wound his scarf back around his neck and stuffed his hands in his pockets, feeling the rough texture of his coat against the back of his hands. He needed to get some lotion or his hands were going to bleed from the dry, overheated air the school circulated through the rooms in the winter.

There wasn't much time left in the lunch period, and after taking several deep breaths of the cold moist air outside, Edward made his way to biology.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Masen. Were you able to get caught up after last week?" Mr. Banner was preparing a demonstration at the front of the room.

Edward nodded. "I got the assignments from my lab partner," he explained.

"Good, good." Mr. Banner turned back to his slides and Edward took his seat at the back of the room, careful to keep his things on his side of the bench. He took out the book for the class and reviewed what he'd attempted to study over the weekend, not looking up when the bell rang, or when the room started to fill with voices.

"Hello."

Edward looked up at the voice, a chord struck within him. Her voice was as beautiful as the rest of her, and again, his memory, though near perfect, hadn't done it justice. He'd talked to her over the phone, but it wasn't the same. The crackle that he'd felt in the cafeteria was back, though it burned somewhat less than it had, even being this close to her, but then, she wasn't staring into his eyes. She stood next to the bench, making no move to sit down, like she was undecided. "Hello," he responded.

"Are you feeling better?" She slid her bag onto the table top, but still, did not sit. He noticed her hand clenched around the strap of her bag, like she was afraid to let go.

He felt one corner of his mouth turn up in a half smile. "I am. Thanks."

She nodded and offered him a shy smile, finally shifting to sit on her stool, letting her hair fall around her face like a curtain between them. Edward felt his fingers twitch and he managed to stop himself from reaching out and tucking it back behind her ear.

"How was your weekend?" He asked politely, waiting for Mr. Banner to finish prepping his slide reel. When he'd called to get updates on homework from them, Emmett had said she wasn't at home.

She ducked her head again, finally reaching up and tucking a long strand of hair behind her ear. "It was nice. I keep waiting for the sun to come out, though," she said, smiling softly as if it were her own private joke.

Edward felt warmed at the smile. "I think you may be waiting awhile. Wintertime in Forks isn't known for the sunshine."

Her pretty face twisted into a scowl and mock pout. "So I've heard."

Edward chuckled quietly. "How are you settling in? I'm guessing this a big change for you from -?" He trailed off, not remembering if Emmett had ever told him what city they'd lived in before.

"Minneapolis," she answered softly. "It's a bit of a struggle," she admitted, and Edward could sense the honesty behind her words. "I guess I'm used to being able to blend into the crowd a bit more than I do here."

Edward smiled. "Yeah, that tends to happen. Most everyone knows everyone, so new people stand out just a bit."

"Like sunshine, I'm guessing that new people aren't that common here, either?" It looked as if Bella was fighting a smile.

"Pretty much," Edward agreed with a grin.

Mr. Banner decided at that moment that he was ready to begin the lecture, and Edward shifted his focus reluctantly to the slide show at the front of the room as they were walked through what they'd need to be looking for in the lab tomorrow. In preparation for the lab, they were to copy the slides into their lab books and label the parts of the cells they'd be looking for under the microscope.

Edward glanced at Bella a couple times, noticing that she was half-heartedly going through the exercise. "Bored?" he asked quietly, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning at her. He knew he was bored, not quite to the point of tears, but he'd risk it to get out of the inane activity.

She glanced up sharply, looking for the teacher before biting her lip and nodding. "I've done this before," she said softly. "I was on the AP track in Minneapolis," she explained.

"Me too," he said quietly. "Chicago." He wasn't worried about getting caught talking. Most of the class was speaking with their lab partner in low tones as they worked. Mr. Banner never really minded much so long as the work got done.

"When did you move?" Bella continued to sketch slowly.

"Two and a half years ago. I started freshman year here," Edward said.

"Why Forks?" She sounded genuinely curious.

Edward glanced at her as her topaz eyes slid away from his face. "My dad was a pretty famous attorney in Chicago. When I was thirteen he had a heart attack that forced him to slow down." Edward smiled a bit. "Retirement didn't agree with him, so we relocated here when I started high school. Dad decided he wanted to be closer to his family in Portland and Seattle, but didn't want to get drawn into big city law and politics again. He has his own practice that just keeps him busy enough."

Bella nodded. "Sounds like Carlisle. Wanted to get out of the city for awhile, away from big city crime and all that."

They worked quietly for a few more minutes. "Do you miss it? Chicago?" Bella asked him softly.

Edward shrugged. "Sometimes. I was a bit of a loner, so I didn't have very many friends. Still don't, really."

Bella laughed quietly, a light sound that warmed Edward's heart. "I find that hard to believe."

"Really?" Edward drawled. "Well, it's true. I've been dedicated to making my parents proud and getting good grades so I can go to Dartmouth like my father, and my music that I never really had time for friends. So moving here wasn't all that hard. I do sometimes miss the city, though."

Bella looked up, another shy smile on her face. "You play?" She looked almost hopeful. "What instrument?" She asked at his nod.

"Piano," Edward answered with a smile of his own. "I prefer classical, but Mr. Hall roped me into the Jazz Ensemble when I started here. I play with the orchestra also, and I give lessons to some kids in the neighborhood and study with Mrs. Hall."

Bella's smile bloomed, and Edward ducked his head slightly, returning her smile.

"Did you get contacts?" He asked after a moment.

She looked at him curiously. "No. Why?"

"Your eyes are different," was all he said with a shrug. "Lighter."

"Oh." Bella seemed puzzled at the statement, and Edward turned back to his work.

The bell rang then and Mr. Banner reminded everyone of the homework and the lab the next day.

"It was nice chatting with you, Edward," Bella said softly, gathering her things. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Bella," Edward said, still basking slightly in the light of her smile, watching her go. He shook himself loose after a moment, realize her was mooning after her like a love-sick puppy, gathered his books and took off towards Spanish.

He didn't get far before he ran back into Emmett. "Everything alright?" He asked his mountain of a friend, who was staring off down the hall with a small smile on his face.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, man, great." He clapped Edward on the shoulder again. "Remind me to get the history stuff from you before we leave today. I hadn't expected to be back, but apparently it was a false alarm." Emmett rolled his eyes. "Women," he muttered.

Edward smothered a smile. "Know what you mean," he agreed with a nod, the image of a beautiful brunette's smile burned into his memory.


	5. Chapter 5

Bella practically skipped to meet Alice at gym. She ignored the desiccated state of her mouth from having to repeatedly swallow pools of venom from being surrounded by Edward's scent. It had been stronger than she remembered and she wondered if it was because he'd been ill when she'd first met him, altering his scent slightly. Still, she had endured it, and he left the room alive. She wasn't sure any human being could possibly be more perfect than Edward Masen.

She couldn't help but compare him to the vision she'd had in her eidetic memory from the previous week. He looked healthier, with a bit more color in his face. He'd not been wearing his glasses, and Bella could only assume he was wearing contacts, which made it easier to see his brilliant green eyes, to see the expressions there. His hair looked as crazy as she'd remembered, though, and she found herself wondering if he wore it that way on purpose, and longing to run her fingers through it. He was beautiful.

But he was more than just physically beautiful. There was just something about him, something beyond the musicality Bella was drawn to that told her he was just as beautiful a person as his appearance suggested. Something in the way he spoke of his family, she supposed. Not many of the teenagers she'd met in the last twenty years had spoken of their family with such respect. But she supposed part of that was her 'old-fashioned' upbringing.

Not even tripping over the slightly elevated ramp between the heavy double doors of the gym put a damper on her spirits. She still held that she wasn't good for the boy, that nothing good would come of getting to know him, but she'd already doomed herself. If she was being honest with herself, she'd doomed them both the moment she'd resisted killing him on first instinct.

It was still dangerous for the boy (_Edward_), for her family, but Bella wasn't sure she could let him go. She found it hard to believe that three days ago she was considering leaving her family behind because of that boy and that after one conversation with him she wasn't sure she'd ever want to be apart from him.

Alice danced up to her small gym locker next to Bella's and nudged her. Bella looked down at her sister with a smile. She didn't have to say anything as Alice squealed quietly and threw her arms around Bella, laughing.

"I told you you'd be happy," Alice finally said softly as they changed.

Bella nodded. "I should still stay away from him," she said quietly. "I'm not good for him. He's so good, Alice. He doesn't deserve me in his life." She pulled a worn sweatshirt over her head.

"Yes, he does." Alice took her hands. "He absolutely deserves someone as wonderful as you, Bella."

Bella shook her head and took her hands back, tugging on a pair of sweatpants. "I'm tainted goods, Alice. Who would want me? Besides, he'd never be safe with me."

Alice rolled her eyes. They'd had the same argument before, too many times to count. "So you're just going to let yourself be miserable for the next year and a half?"

Bella nodded. "I can handle the casual friendship. That's safe enough." Though, internally, she was still battling with her need to be close to the boy, to look out for him. The past week had offered no clarity for her on why she'd worried so much about him.

Alice slammed her locker shut. "You're far too stubborn for your own good," she said with a shake of her head.

Bella smirked. "I love you too, Alice." She followed her out to the main gym where they paired on the same team for volleyball, and Bella managed to tangle herself in the net and hit four different people in the head with the ball. And she'd only _slightly_ been trying to play up her clumsiness. She still wasn't sure how it was possible that a vampire was a klutz, but she was, and so long s it didn't affect her hunting, it was alright; it was one more thing that let her pass as human.

After they'd changed back into their street clothes, Bella walked with Alice back out to the parking lot. Rose's BMW was already gone from the parking lot, and Jasper was waiting for Alice, leaned up against her Porsche, which stood out like a sore thumb amongst the more weathered vehicles in the lot, except for a shiny silver Volvo and Bella's own classic truck with its new(er) red paint job.

Bella smiled as Alice bounced up to Jasper, launching herself into his arms. He caught her easily and Bella turned away as their embrace turned toward an embarrassing display of PDA.

"I'll see you guys later," she said over her shoulder, leaving them to make their way home alone. Bella started up her truck, but rather than going home, she followed the 101 North until she turned off and found her way to Clallam Bay. She wanted to see the coast, but knew La Push and First Beach were off limits due to the treaty her family had with the Quileute tribe to stay off their land. When she reached the beach she parked in an empty visitor's lot and sat on the sand, watching the storm roll in. She could feel the electricity building in the air and breathed deeply, the fresh scent of rain and wind and nature clearing her mind of the layers of thoughts that built the longer she let herself dwell on any topic.

Of course Edward kept returning to the forefront of her thoughts, and she gently pushed it away. As she'd told Alice, she could deal with a casual friendship; she would be his lab partner, nothing more.

It started to rain and Bella decided she should start home. She figured Alice had seen where she was going and wasn't worried about anyone not being able to locate her. She'd left her phone in her bag in the truck.

The house was quiet when she got home. Rosalie's BMW was still gone, so Bella assumed she and Emmett had decided to stay the night in Port Angeles. Carlisle was home, and Bella could hear him speaking quietly with Esme as she passed their room on her way to her own. Out of respect for each other, the family tried not to listen in on conversations when they could help it, and kept voices down to help others realize they didn't want to be overheard. It was difficult to have any secrets in a house full of vampires with superior senses, and with a few with extraordinary talents on top of that, but somehow they managed.

The storm Bella watched roll in over the ocean hit Forks two hours after she got home. She silenced the ever-present music and listened to the storm rage outside as she raced through her homework without having to think too much about any of it. The rain lingered over town until well after dawn, completely saturating a ground already over soaked by the local weather. The wind howled through the forest, shaking the windows throughout the house. The lights flickered and went out around two in the morning as the wind took town limbs on top of power lines. From the dry dark comfort of her chaise, Bella listened to the storm proceed slowly through town, eyes closed as the sounds washed everything else away until she had to finally rise and get ready for another day of school.

She dressed in comfortable jeans, sweater and a pair of weather-tight boots. Bella may have been a vampire and unaffected by things like cold, but she hated feeling damp all day long when her feet got wet in a puddle. And Alice would have been satisfied; the jeans were designer and the sweater cashmere. She joined her siblings downstairs for the ride to school.

Bella watched out the back passenger window of Rose's car at the destruction the storm had left, downed trees and power lines littered neighborhoods on their way to school. Esme had dug out supplies to help with any relief effort and loaded them into the trunk of the BMW, including the stock pile of blankets Bella'd knitted a few weeks before in a fit of boredom.

They were earlier than usual, before even the die-hard and zero hour students, but since the high school was the local emergency shelter, there were other people milling about. The silver Volvo was parked in its normal space, next to a Subaru that looked like a station wagon crossed with a minivan. The high school ran a generator for power, and the hot water ran from boilers unaffected by a power outage, making it the logical choice for an emergency shelter. They unloaded the supplies Esme had gathered and carried them toward the gym.

"Oh, hello." A middle aged woman greeted them. Her hair was a dark golden color, tied up in a loose bun with wisps framing her kind face. She was dressed casually in jeans, a turtleneck and a sweater, with good sturdy boots. Bella thought her eyes were a familiar shade of green.

"Hi!" Alice bounced up to her. "Our mom asked us to drop this stuff off," she said, waving at each of us carrying a couple of bags, and Emmett with three boxes piled high. "There's blankets and food, and clothes. Where should we put them?"

"That was very kind of her," the woman said. "And just over there, is fine. Oh, I'm Elizabeth Masen, by the way."

Bella stopped herself from looking up as she piled her bags with the others against the wall with some other donations. No wonder her eyes had looked so familiar.

"Alice Cullen," Alice introduced herself, and then pointed out each one of the members of her family. "Esme said she's sorry she couldn't be here to help out this morning, but she'd stop by this evening and see if there was anything she could do."

Mrs. Masen smiled. "That'd be lovely. Hopefully everyone will be able to get back home this afternoon, but if that's not the case, we'd appreciate the extra help. But here," Mrs. Masen reached for her purse and withdrew a business card and handed it to Alice. "Have her call me first, that way she doesn't waste a trip, if everyone's already gone."

Alice nodded, tucking the card into her bag. "I will."

"Is there anything we can do? We're pretty early this morning." Jasper asked, coming up behind Alice.

"Well, if you don't mind, could you boys help break down those cots?" Mrs. Masen asked hopefully.

"Sure." Jasper said with a nod, waving at Emmett and they began folding down cots and stacking them against one of the walls, as the girls followed behind and folded up the linens.

"Oh, Edward, can you get those bags from my car?" Bella heard Mrs. Masen ask.

"Sure, Mom." Bella only glanced up at the voice, proud of her restraint as she kept folding blankets and placing them into a pile, ignoring Rosalie and Alice's quiet laughter.

"Oh, stop," Bella hissed.

They worked for another couple minutes until Alice froze. "No," she whispered, turning toward the gym entrance. "The tree," she whispered.

Distantly, Bella heard a crack like thunder, but knew that the storm had moved off. "Alice?"

"Edward," She whispered again. "The tree."

The Volvo and the Subaru were parked under an ancient oak tree. Before she could think, Bella shot from the gym at full speed, knowing no one but her siblings would see her, she was moving so fast. Edward hadn't noticed the tree, focused on unloading the bags from the back of the Subaru. He looked up suddenly though, as Bella heard the creaking groan as the tree began to topple over, the ground around it saturated to the point it couldn't support the weight of the huge tree anymore. She reached Edward just as he glanced up, horror in his eyes as he watched the tree come at him, frozen.

Bella flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and throwing them to the ground, hoping she didn't hurt him with the force of her impact, though she tried to turn so she'd take most of the hit on the ground. She heard the deafening thud of the tree crushing the Subaru over Edward's head striking the ground and his labored breathing.

She heard something else crack and she rolled them again, uttering an expletive she rarely used as one of the huge upper limbs of the tree came loose and teetered dangerously toward them. Bella misjudged and the heavy limb fell on her back where she was crouched cage-like around Edward. She grunted with the impact, but the limb cracked in half over her back.

"Edward?" Bella whispered, looking at him. His eyes were open but they looked somewhat empty, but he was breathing. She lightly touched his cheek, trying to get his attention, feeling a jolt run through her at the contact. "Edward?" She untangled herself from him and scattered the debris from where the branch had struck her and sat up. His scent was better mixed with fresh air, though not as potent. She swallowed back a mouthful of venom.

"Bella?" He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision Bella suspected, pressing a hand to his head as he tried to sit up.

"Wait," she said quietly, pressing him back down. "You hit your head pretty hard."

People were starting to run over to them, but Bella saw her family standing in the distance, Jasper wrapped around Alice, and Emmett holding a scowling Rosalie's hand.

"How?" Edward looked at her, confused.

"I was standing right there, helping you get stuff from your mom's car. I pushed you out of the way." Bella could hear sirens in the distance and realized her phenomenal mistake.

Edward's eyes closed and he shook his head. "No, you were inside."

"Edward, you hit your head pretty hard. You're confused."

His eyes opened and fixed Bella with a stare. "I know what I saw."

"Edward, I can't help it if you're exceptionally unobservant." Bella felt bad, but she knew she had to do _some_ kind of damage control. The ambulance pulled into the parking lot and Bella rose, stepping away as Edward struggled to sit up and his mother came flying out of the gym, screaming his name.

"Mom, I'm fine," Edward said quietly as she reached them at the same time as the EMTs. Bella tried to sneak away in the crowd, to join her brothers and sisters, but was stopped by the EMTs. She was let go after they checked her over and found her with no serious injuries.

Edward glared at her when she told the EMTs he'd hit his head pretty hard and had blacked out for a moment. Mrs. Masen seemed sufficiently distracted that Bella didn't have to worry about her contradicting the story for the time being. She waited until Edward was loaded into the ambulance on a stretcher, complete with neck brace and Mrs. Masen had joined him in the back before joining her siblings.

"What the hell was that, Bella?" Rosalie demanded.

"I –" Bella shook her head. "I don't know. I just had to…"

"It'll be fine," Alice said. "No, really," she said at Rosalie's skeptical look. "He's not going to say anything."

"I need to call Carlisle," Bella said suddenly, searching for her phone. Her bag was still in the backseat of Rose's car, so she took the one Jasper offered her with a tight smile. She didn't bother moving away as she called her 'father.'

"Jasper?" Carlisle answered on the second ring, sounding worried.

"No, Carlisle, it's me," Bella said softly. "I screwed up."

"Tell me what happened, Bells," Carlisle said patiently.

She related the story to him. "He knows I wasn't standing next to him, but I'm hoping there was enough suggestion there that he won't remember, and oh, God, Carlisle I'm so sorry."

Jasper took her free hand and Bella squeezed lightly as she felt a bit of calm wash through her.

"Calm down, Bella," Carlisle was saying softly. "Lucky for you I'm in the ER today. I'll keep my ears open, and we'll just have to be cautious for awhile. No harm done, alright?"

"Okay," Bella said in a soft whisper, feeling horrible for possibly ruining everything for them. She ended the call and handed Jasper back his phone.

Rosalie still looked put out, but the scowl was fading. Alice's promise had apparently meant enough to Rosalie. But Bella knew she wasn't going to be forgiven that easily. Rosalie liked Forks, liked the feeling of normality they had because the weather allowed them to be out and about so much more often than in other towns. If they had to move again it would be a long time before Rose completely forgave her.

"We should get to class," Alice said after a moment. "Bella, you're going to be quite the hero. Try to be gracious, okay? I know you hate being the center of attention, but it won't last long."

Bella nodded. Alice gave her a hug and took off with Jasper. Emmett pulled her into a hug too. "You did good, baby girl," he whispered. "Don't worry about Rose. She'll come around."

Bella nodded again and took the bag Rose handed her. "I'm sorry, Rose," she whispered.

Rose tucked a piece of Bella's hair out of her face. "It'll be alright," she admitted grudgingly. Rosalie didn't know Edward, but Emmett had spoken fondly of him, and Bella thought that Rosalie was glad that Emmett was blending in alright. "You just know how I worry about us."

"I know." She managed a weak smile as Rosalie adjusted Bella's clothes, tsking softly.

"You're all dirty." Rose dusted off her jeans and fretted over the dirt on the hem of her sweater.

Bella laughed quietly and pulled her wool peacoat tighter around her, covering up as much of the stains as she could. Leave it to Rose to find the important things to fuss over. "Thanks, Rose."

Rose nodded and took Emmett's hand as they disappeared into the crowd. Bella dawdled as long as she could before hunching down into her coat, trying to avoid the eyes she knew were already on her, and the whispers she could hear clear as a bell from the students. She'd done the one thing her family tried to avoid doing – drawing attention to themselves, and Bella was going to have to deal with the consequences of that action.

"Oh my God, Bella, I heard about this morning!" Angela spoke quickly as she stepped up to Bella's side. "Are you alright?"

Bella nodded. "I'm okay." She let her hair fall around her face as they made their way to their English class. "It wasn't a big deal, really."

Angela raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. I mean, anyone else would have done the same, right?" Bella looked over at Angela.

The other brunette shrugged. "I guess so."

Bella pasted on a half smile. "I was in the right place at the right time, is all. I'm just glad no one was hurt," she said.

"Well, I still think it was an amazing thing you did," Angela said quietly as they entered the classroom.

Bella took her seat, aware of all the eyes on her and hearing the gossip continuing to spread like wild fire. Thankfully, the teacher was already present and kept the class from ganging up on her with questions and proceeded with the lesson for the day. Bella tried to focus but her mind kept wandering to Edward and her family.

She'd acted selfishly in saving his life, and she knew it. Bella'd heard Alice's words and knew she wasn't ready to let the boy go. She had to do what she could to make sure he was safe. So without thinking, she'd put herself and her family at risk for a human boy. A gorgeous human boy who had a bright future ahead, but a human boy nonetheless. They lived low-key lives for the most part, trying not to attract attention to themselves, and Bella'd managed to put herself in the spotlight, and thereby her whole family, within two weeks of starting school.

Between classes, the boys ogled her and the girls had all stared at her with an expression of awe and jealousy. She maintained she'd just pushed Edward down and away from the car, but everyone seemed to think it was a major heroic feat. Remembering Alice's words, Bella remained as gracious as possible, but she was inwardly seething. Some twit named Mike had hit on her in the lunch line, saying she could save him any time. Jasper had about died holding on to his laughter feeling the wave of emotions Bella'd felt at that declaration.

She hated herself a little bit more for putting them all at risk yet again. At Jasper's wince in the cafeteria she wrapped up in her bubble of guilt and self loathing and locked him out, pasting on the shy smile for everyone else and hiding behind her hair.

The empty seat next to hers in biology didn't help improve her mood any. Bella had half expected Edward to return to school, but knowing Carlisle, he'd told the boy to take the rest of the day off. Fortunately, Mr. Banner didn't kick up much of a fuss about the absence or Bella's part in the incident, simply stating he was glad everyone was alright and proceeding with the lab. Bella put much more focus into completing the task than was strictly required, concentrating on taking her time. When she found her thoughts drifting again, she slipped her earbuds in and quickly thumbed through her playlists until she found one that suited her mood; the music was heavy rock and the lyrics unintelligible for their screaming nature, and Bella soaked it up. Mr. Banner didn't say anything when he walked past and checked her progress.

Carlisle texted her as she was leaving biology, wanting to hunt with her that evening so they could talk. She wondered which of her siblings had gotten to him first.


	6. Chapter 6

Edward let his mom fuss over him in the ambulance, but was grateful when she was called away by nurses to take care of paperwork when they'd finally arrived at the hospital. The events of the morning replayed while he was looked over by the nurses. He'd been standing there unloading the bags for his mom when he'd been knocked to the ground. He had been stunned for a moment, but had seen the second branch come loose and fall over Bella's back. He remembered the look on her face and the crushed body of his mother's new Subaru Tribeca over her shoulder.

She'd saved his life.

He wasn't even sure that she'd liked him.

"Well, Mr. Masen, I'd say you have quite the guardian angel, if the rumors are true." The doctor (Edward assumed by the white coat) was tall, blonde, and striking. "I'm Dr. Cullen," he introduced himself, looking over Edward's file and setting it on the tray table at Edward's elbow.

"What are the rumors?" Edward asked as Dr. Cullen pulled on a pair of gloves.

"That my daughter saved your life," he responded with a small grin. "Can you sit up, please?"

Edward chewed the inside of his cheek and sat up. "Yeah. She pushed me out of the way when the tree came down." Only he knew she hadn't been standing there like she'd said. He'd been alone, but he had no other way of explaining it. He must have just knocked his head hard enough that he didn't remember. It was the only real explanation. Wasn't it?

"Hm. That sounds like Bella," Dr. Cullen mused. "Look here for me, please. Though I'm surprised she didn't hurt herself in the process," he teased as he went through his examination. "Any nausea or dizziness?"

"No," Edward answered. "Just a headache." He paused. "Though I could use some juice or something?" He was beginning to feel slightly off, and knew his blood sugar was dropping as the adrenaline wore off after the morning's events. He stretched out a hand and displayed the slight tremble to Dr. Cullen.

Dr. Cullen nodded. "Hypoglycemic?" He made a few notes in his chart and flipped back a few pages at Edward's confirming nod. "It doesn't look like you have a concussion. If you start to feel nauseas or dizzy, call or come back in." He looked up when a nurse entered. "1200 milligrams of ibuprofen, please, Maggie, and some orange juice" he ordered gently, and the nurse stepped back out. "You hit the ground pretty hard, so I'm writing you a prescription for some stronger pain killers, just in case. Take it easy for the rest of the day, and you should be good for tomorrow."

Edward sighed. "So I can go?" He'd missed more school in the last two weeks than in the previous two years combined. He was beginning to think that Bella Swan was the farthest thing from his guardian angel.

"As soon as your mother is done with the paperwork. I'll have one of the nurses call the school," Dr. Cullen assured him. He made one more note in Edward's chart and disappeared back around the curtain.

Edward sat up more fully and swung his legs over the edge of the hospital bed. With the adrenaline gone, he was beginning to feel the aches of being thrown to the ground. He gratefully accepted the small cup of pills and water that the nurse gave him, then the small carton of orange juice which he sipped slowly and waited for his mother.

"How're you feeling, Edward?" His mother stepped around the curtain, her coat draped over her arm and a vial of pills in her hand.

"I'm alright, mom. Just a bit sore," Edward said, easing off the bed.

His mother drew him into a hug, and he lingered for a moment, letting her hold on to him for longer than he thought was necessary. She kissed his forehead. "I'm glad she was there."

"Me too, mom," Edward said quietly. And he was. Even though he was really confused about how she had gotten there.

"Ready to go home?"

Edward nodded slowly. The pain was starting to recede.

His mom led him out to the emergency room entrance as his dad's Lincoln pulled up. Edward hadn't even thought about how they were getting home. "Mom, your car…"

His mom offered him a small smile. "Guess we're going car shopping again this weekend. We'll have to share this week."

Edward laughed quietly. "No problem. I can always walk; it's not that far." He slid gingerly into the backseat, meeting his dad's gaze in the review mirror.

"Hey, Edward." There were lines around his dad's eyes he hadn't noticed before. "You okay?"

"I'm alright. Just bruised." He held his dad's blue eyes until the older man nodded and they pulled away from the hospital.

"I'll get you settled at home, and then I need to go back to run the shelter. We're a bit short on volunteers today," Edward's mom said lightly.

"I'm fine, mom. I'm just going to lay on the couch and enjoy daytime TV if the power's back on," he teased lightly. Though he'd probably enjoy a long hot soak, first, and see if that helped relax his overly taught muscles. Thank goodness for gas water heaters.

"Alright, well you call your dad or me if you need anything."

Edward couldn't really blame his mother; he was an only child and he'd been doted on for most of his life. He was always going to be her baby boy, and even though it sometimes got on his nerves, he knew that's just the way she was. "I will," he said. "My car keys are in my book bag in the gym," he explained. "So you can bring my car home tonight and dad doesn't have to play chauffer."

His mom got him settled on the sofa with more than he'd need to occupy himself for several hours until his dad was home from work (he hadn't realized how long it'd taken at the hospital), including a turkey sandwich and a large bottle of water (he'd have preferred a glass that he could refill, but he wasn't going to argue the point with her after that morning's events). The power in their neighborhood was on at least, so Edward watched one of the small-claims court television shows while he ate slowly, shaking his head and even laughing out loud at several points at the stupidity of both the litigants.

Once he'd eaten, he staggered slowly upstairs to his bed and bathroom. He started the tub filling with hot water and retrieved clean flannel pajamas pants and a long sleeved t-shirt from the bureau in his room. He turned his stereo on, the soft jazz CD he'd last played filling the room. He left the connecting door open so he could hear the music in the bath, humming quietly as he stripped and slid with a sigh into the hot water, turning off the taps before he sent water cascading over the sides.

Edward relaxed slowly, placing a folded towel behind his head as he rested it against the tile wall. By now the story of what had happened would be all over school. He'd have to prepare himself for the outpouring of support from the female population of Forks High. He'd told Bella the truth when he said he was a loner, but that didn't stop the girls from throwing themselves at him. He knew he was good looking, but they all saw him as a status symbol; they didn't really know who he was.

He'd moved to Forks as a freshman, when everyone else had gone to school together for most of their lives. He'd been new, and was viewed as somewhat of a threat by most of the male population of the school. Mike Newton had always seemed exceptionally threatened by Edward, and their rivalry had started almost immediately. He was 'exotic' to the students at Forks High, the outsider with the different accent, and the girls flocked to him. It didn't help that he had special permission to eat in class if he needed to regulate his blood sugar quickly, since it only drew more attention. Of course, when he tried to stretch it until class breaks he'd ended up in the nurse's office which meant even more attention and offers of 'help' from girls. He turned them down gently, the girls, and rumors had started about his sexuality, about how he was 'too good' for the girls at the school. Edward ignored them and focused on his studies, finding it easy enough to go without close friends and settling on getting to know people who didn't seem concerned with his social status or disinterest in dating.

But having his life saved by a girl, and the new girl at that, was going to put them both in the spotlight for awhile. Edward didn't care, much. He'd ignore it as he'd ignored everything else in the two and a half years since moving to Forks, but it certainly wouldn't help Bella blend in. He smiled a bit remembering their conversation from the previous day.

Up until they'd spoken, he wasn't sure he'd ever get the time of day from Bella Swan, after the way she'd reacted to him that first day of class. But his fears had apparently been unjustified as they'd chatted over class work. He was intrigued by her; he'd noticed the boxes of supplies her family had dropped off at the shelter, and how willingly they'd all helped out cleaning up before school started.

And she'd pushed him out of the way.

He knew she wasn't standing with him, but he'd tell whatever story she wanted him to; he just wished he knew why he was lying for her. It wasn't that he was a bad liar or couldn't do so effectively, he just liked having a reason for it.

He'd just call her and find out.

The water was cooling, so Edward lifted himself from the tub gingerly, expecting to feel more pain than he did. He pulled the plug and dried off, dressing in his comfortable clothes. He shut off the stereo in his room and glanced at the clock. He had another hour or so before school would be out.

And his mom had his phone. It was in his bag, back at the high school.

He decided he'd just wait, and pulled on a pair of socks, planning on crashing on the couch like he'd told his parents. He could call the Cullen house later; he'd need to get the assignments from Emmett anyway. And Alice. And Bella. He flipped the TV back on and channel surfed until he found something worth watching on the Food Network, and before long he'd dozed off.

Edward woke a couple hours later. The sun had dipped low on the horizon, casting the room in a hazy dark illuminated only by the soft blue glow of the television. His bag was in the armchair near the couch, and as he sat up and stretched he found a note from his mom on the coffee table.

_Edward,_

_I've got sessions tonight that I couldn't cancel. Your father will be home late - he had to go into Seattle. I stopped at the diner and there's a plate for you in the fridge. Deb said to feel better and snuck in a piece of pie when she thought I wasn't looking. Call if you need anything._

_3_

_Mom_

Edward laughed quietly and put the note back on the table. He changed the channel to the evening news and reached for his bag and his phone. He hesitated only a minute before calling the Cullen home. Someone answered before the first ring had finished.

"Cullen Residence!"

"Hi, can I speak to Alice or Emmett or Bella?" Edward pulled a notebook from his bag and scavenged for a pen. "Or Jasper."

The voice giggled. "Hi Edward, it's Alice!"

Edward couldn't help but laugh. "How did you know it was me?"

"Oh, I had a feeling you'd call this afternoon," Alice said offhand. "Mr. Gibson assigned problems six through eleven from chapter seven tonight."

"Okay, thanks," Edward said as he scribbled down the information. He heard Alice calling for Emmett and Bella.

"So, how are you? Bella said you hit your head pretty hard?" Alice asked.

"I'm alright," Edward answered. "Bit of a headache, but better than the alternative," he managed to tease lightly.

"Very true," she answered in the same light tone. "Oh, here's Emmett. See you tomorrow!" Alice chirped happily.

"Seriously, man, do you spend more than a couple days a week at school or what?" Emmett's booming voice teased.

Edward chuckled. "Believe it or not, until the last couple weeks I had near perfect attendance."

"Figures," Emmett said lowly and Edward chuckled again. "So, you're good? Nothing broken?"

Edward growled quietly. "I'm fine. I'm remarkably hard-headed. Though it's a bit of a blow to my ego that I'm going to have to listen to all the rumors that I had my life saved by a girl," he said with a grin. He needed to get used to people asking him about the incident or he was going to end up doing something he'd regret.

"Yeah, it's been an interesting day."

Edward's grin slipped at Emmett's subdued tone. "You could say that," he agreed quietly. "So, can I get the homework for today?" He wanted to ask Emmett about Bella, but since he'd be talking to her in a moment, he let it go, but he wondered what had happened through the rest of the day, besides the gossip.

"Sure. We're supposed to keep going with Romeo and Juliet," Emmett explained. "Mr. Bell said to work on the review questions at the end of chapter four, and Señora Villagrana assigned exercises three, four, and five from chapter eight."

Edward wrote that all down and sat back into the couch. "Thanks, Emmett. That's a couple I owe you, now."

"Naw, don't worry about it," Emmett drawled. "Here's Bella. See ya."

Edward heard the phone handed over and the murmuring of words, but nothing he could distinguish.

"Hi," Bella said finally.

"Hey," Edward responded. "Do you have a few minutes?"

"Sure, I guess." Bella's voice was oddly calm and inflectionless and it made Edward frown.

"So, what happened this morning?" Edward came out and asked.

Bella sighed. "I told you, Edward. I was helping you unload bags from your mother's car and I pushed you out of the way when the tree came down." She sounded as if she was explaining something to a very young child.

"You weren't there," Edward maintained. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Edward-" Bella sighed again.

"Look, Bella, I don't mind covering up whatever you think needs covered up, but can't you at least give me a good reason why I'm doing it?"

"You honestly have no idea what you're talking about," Bella said. "You hit your head and you're not thinking clearly."

"Bella, that limb _fell_ on you." Edward said quietly.

She laughed, and it wasn't the melodic sound he'd heard from her before. "Edward, be serious. If it had, I'd have severe internal injuries."

"I _am_ serious," he said quietly. "I saw it happen."

"You think you saw it. You hit your head and were pretty out of it for awhile."

"Bella-"

"Can't you just say thanks and be done with it?" She asked flatly.

"Thank you," Edward sniped, and waited.

She sighed again. "You're not letting this go, are you?"

"I'm not going to tell anyone," Edward promised quietly.

"It's not that simple, Edward," Bella responded.

"Most things aren't, Bella." Edward paused. "What are you hiding?" He asked quietly.

"I –" She fell silent.

"Bella." Where had that desperate pleading tone come from?

"Get used to disappointment, Edward," Bella said finally, a cold edge to her voice. "There's no biology homework tonight since we had the lab today. I have to go. Have a good night."

He stared at the phone in his hand for a long moment after the call ended. Something had gone terribly wrong in the course of that conversation and he had no idea where. After their conversation in class the day before he'd thought maybe they were on their way to being friends, at least, and after that phone call, he was pretty sure she didn't want to have anything to do with him.

He asked himself why she'd bothered, then, to save his life if she didn't want to speak to him. But since he had no death wish himself, he couldn't say he was sorry that she had.

Edward heaved a sigh and slid his phone onto the table by his mother's note, thinking that he'd never understand women. He padded in his sock-feet to the kitchen to warm up the meal from the diner when his stomach rumbled. He found the plate of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies and slid it into the microwave to warm. While the plate turned, he leaned against the doorframe into the living room and watched the local broadcast from Seattle. Sunshine was forecast for the weekend and surrounding days. Maybe he'd go to the beach. It would still be cold, but it would be a nice change of scenery.

He carried his plate and a can of pop to the couch and ate while he watched TV and did the Spanish homework, but he kept getting distracted by thoughts of Bella and their conversation. He tried to put her out of his mind and focus, but she haunted him even as he sat at the piano, weaving the melody he'd crafted the day before into something different, filled with longing and sadness, and he wasn't sure where it came from. But he let the melody play out and ring through the otherwise quiet house.

Edward didn't think he would be forgetting that melody anytime soon.


	7. Chapter 7

Bella crouched in the forest, listening for her prey, breathing deeply. She let the hunt consume her, driving out everything else, at least for the time being. Carlisle was next to her, equally intent as they scouted together. She found that her clumsiness and shyness faded as she hunted, letting the predator within her take over.

"There," she breathed, catching scent of a herd of deer. "Northwest." She took off, knowing Carlisle would follow. The herd spooked and split up at hearing the predator come after them. Bella followed a pair of animals that stuck together as they bounded through the forest. Bella flew through the undergrowth in pursuit of her prey. She followed their terrified scent and the frantic beating of their hearts as they fled from her, though she ran tirelessly and easily caught up with them.

Bella brought down the bigger of the two deer first, leaping off a protruding rock onto its back, cleanly breaking the female's neck before sinking her teeth into the flesh and drinking her fill. The other deer had frozen in fear and Carlisle took advantage of the situation to make his first kill of the evening.

When they'd finished, they shifted the carcasses under a felled tree. Thirst sated for the moment, they sat quietly.

"What are you going to do, Bella?" Carlisle asked after a long moment.

She shook her head. "Watch, for now. Try to extricate myself from his life, I guess. Alice says he won't speak to anyone about what he thinks he saw, and I believe her vision to be correct."

Carlisle's bright golden eyes met hers, and Bella attempted to duck away from his prying vision. "Think it'll be that easy?"

"Probably not," Bella admitted. She sighed, letting her hair fall around her face. "I really screwed up this time, didn't I?" She looked up finally.

Carlisle tugged her close with one arm, engaging in a rare display of physical affection between them. "Nothing that can't be dealt with, Bells."

She leaned against him. "I put us all at risk."

"We're at risk every day, love, you know that," Carlisle said patiently. "Everyday that you go to school and interact with the human children we're at risk of one of you slipping. Every day that I go to work we're at risk of exposure. What you did may have been risky, but it was also a very good thing."

Bella shook her head again, looking as if she wanted to cry. "Do you know how many times today I wished that I'd let him die?" she confessed, barely audible. "How completely selfish am I to wish that that boy was dead so I didn't have to feel guilty for risking the secret of my family? So I wouldn't have to feel responsible for taking that safety and security away from them? And then I feel guilty for thinking it, for wishing that innocent child dead, for thinking Emmett would ever forgive me for not saving the life of a boy he's beginning to think of as a friend, for letting that bright spirit be put out simply to ease my own conscience and pain…" Bella trailed off, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, a gesture she vaguely remembered from her childhood as being comforting.

"Bella…" Carlisle breathed.

"I'm not a good person, Carlisle. I'm no better than James or the others of his coven for the way they treated me in how I've been to that boy and my family. I'm not good enough for him or anyone else for the things I've done."

"Listen to me, Isabella Marie," Carlisle said firmly, grabbing her attention with his use of her full name. "You are nothing like them. They feel no remorse for their actions and here you sit drowning in guilt for something you've only thought about. You are a good soul, Bella. I wish that someday you could believe it for yourself.

"You're not to blame for what you've had to do to survive," he continued softly. "It's in the past. Someday I hope you'll be able to forgive yourself."

"Does saving him today make up for wanting to kill him last week?" Bella asked quietly, her head resting against Carlisle's shoulder.

"I don't know, Bella," Carlisle answered honestly. "It depends on your motivations, I think."

"I couldn't let him die," she confessed. "I think I need him. It's strange," she said with a shake of her head. "Like I'm compelled to be near him."

Carlisle glanced up sharply. "He calls to you?"

Bella nodded. "I always seem to know where he is, how he's feeling. I don't even _ know_ him, Carlisle," she whispered. "But I feel like I'm supposed to be wherever he is."

"Ah, my Bella, how you always seem to find some kind of trouble to land in," he said quietly with a chuckle. "You know there's an easy solution to this? The simplest way for you to complete this bond with him?"

"I can't, Carlisle. I won't damn him to this life without knowing that he feels the same. And it's not like I can just walk up to him and broach the subject. 'So, Edward, I'm a vampire and you're supposed to be my soul mate, how do you feel about eternal life with me?' I'm sure he already thinks I'm crazy," Bella said, sitting up and letting her hair curtain her face again.

"Have you talked to Alice?" Carlisle asked gently.

Bella shook her head again. "Not about this. She keeps saying I'll be happy, but I don't know what that means. I don't know what decision has been made to give her that vision."

"Perhaps it wasn't a decision _you've_ made," Carlisle mused. "At least not yet."

Bella hummed quietly in possible agreement. "So what do I do, Carlisle? Just – pretend nothing happened?"

"It's up to you, Bella," he said. "Alice has seen that he won't speak to anyone, and what I know of him through his parents, Edward Masen is a very responsible young man who sticks to his word. And we all know better than to bet against Alice at this point, yes?"

Bella managed a small smile at that.

"Only you can decide what you want to do from here. We'll support you," Carlisle promised.

Bella nodded again, falling quiet until a new scent wafted past her. "Mountain lion," she breathed with a smile.

"Go on," Carlisle said, giving her a nudge. "I'll see you back home." He took off in the opposite direction while Bella moved into a crouch to begin tracking her prey once more, pushing aside old stories of soul-mates and blood bonds and others of how their kind found mates. She had a mountain lion to track down.

**

The next morning at school, things appeared to have returned to more or less normal. The students were still buzzing about the accident, but fortunately they'd focused their attentions on Edward for the morning and Bella was left in relative peace. By lunch most of the talk had died down as Edward continued to uphold Bella's story that she'd pushed him down when the tree fell. The students seemed to see Bella's humility sincere enough to let the matter drop.

All except a few, Bella found, as she waited to purchase the lunch she wouldn't eat.

The same childish idiot that had approached her the previous day about 'saving' him had two of his hangers on with him in the lunch line.

"Oh, hey, Bella," Mike said with a smirk. Jessica and Lauren giggled on either side of him

"Mike," Bella answered flatly, wanting to just get back to the relative safety of her family's lunch table.

"So, I saw Masen this morning," he said casually. "He looks pretty good for having his ass saved by a girl."

"Does he?" Bella asked, looking over the available fruit like it was the most intriguing piece of artwork known to man, hoping Mike would get the point.

"You know," Mike shifted and the girls fell around him as he leaned against the cart Bella stood in front of. "I hope you weren't hoping to get anything out of that encounter," he said with a grin, his voice low and what he probably thought was seductive. "I'm not sure he plays for that team if you know what I'm saying."

"And even if he did," Lauren said in a bored tone as she studied her nails on one hand, clutching a diet soda in the other. "He wouldn't be interested in someone as plain as you, Isabella," the bottle blonde said her name in a strange sneering tone.

"Really," Jessica said in agreement. "Desperate much, throwing yourself at him like that?" She laughed, a harsh empty sound that matched the shrill sound of her voice. "It was a clear cry for attention."

Bella half wondered if the girls were serious or just acting on their jealousy that once again they weren't at the center of the school gossip ring. She dismissed them with a roll of her eyes. They were no better than children, but she bit her tongue to stop from defending Edward. "Is there something you wanted, Mike?" She didn't bother to hide the irritated tone in her voice. She could have easily scared him off, but with all the attention she'd already drawn to herself and the family in the last few days, the least she could do is put up with an irritating hormonal teenage boy.

"Well, just, y'know," Mike said, his grin widening out to a smile. "If you ever wanted a real man to feel under you, I'm available."

"Real man?" Bella questioned, smirking. "What kind of 'real man' makes comments like that in front of other girls? How about you let me know when you grow up a bit, Mikey, okay?" She reached out and ruffled his hair with her free hand, chose a banana, and sauntered past the cashier, waving it in the air in what she hoped was fairly clear innuendo, with a smirk.

"Mikey?" Jasper asked with a grin when Bella joined them with her prop lunch. She just shrugged and played with her food, making it look like she was eating. But she smiled a bit as a new rumor started circulating about how she'd turned down Mike Newton and treated him like a little kid. Once again she wondered at how hard it had been to fade into the background in Forks and questioned Carlisle's choice of the small town over another large city like Seattle or Portland where they could have melded in without drawing as much attention to themselves as they had so far.

By the time lunch was over, half the school was calling out to 'Mikey' Newton.

Bella almost skipped biology, but she knew that running wouldn't actually solve anything since he had classes with at least one of her siblings for every class except gym. She detoured outside where she lingered as long as she dared in the fresh air before venturing into the classroom. Thankfully, she was not assaulted with his scent until she reached their desk. She stopped breathing, and took a seat without saying anything.

"Hello." He spoke quietly.

She looked up. He was wearing his glasses again. "Hi." She busied herself pulling her supplies from her bag. She should apologize for being so short with him, but Mr. Banner was on top of things for once and started class on time, thankfully postponing her need to say anything.

They were left to themselves for the last few minutes of class and Bella peeked through the curtain of her hair to watch him. He'd pulled out a composition book at some point during the lecture and was scribbling down notes.

"I should apologize for my rudeness," Bella said softly, and the sounds of his pencil stopped. "I was raised better than that. But it's really better if we're not friends, Edward."

"Beg your pardon?" The words were so automatic from him that Bella fought a smile. She'd expected 'huh?' but was reminded once again that he was much better spoken than his peers.

"It's for the best, really. I'm sorry if I led you on to believe otherwise." She'd timed it just right. The bell rang as she finished her sentence and she slipped from the room, managing to avoid tripping and running into Emmett in the hall, both of which she was extremely proud of.

She skipped gym and ran home instead, needing away from the feeling of people watching and listening.

The next few weeks passed uneventfully. The incident with the tree was eventually forgotten in the wake of new gossip. One of the cheerleaders had gotten knocked up by one of the football players, a couple of kids were busted for drug possession, and of course the ever present gossip over who was dating whom and who was going to the winter formal. Mike Newton was still being called 'Mikey,' and Bella continued to get the evil eye from him every time she happened to look his way.

Bella managed to maintain a level of casual acquaintance with Edward, though she caught him staring at her in the lunch room most days, and she indulged in her share of watching through her hair in biology. They chatted occasionally, but only as necessary to complete assignments in class. It didn't help. Bella still felt herself drawn to him, still felt the need to stick close and look out for him. She found it easier to be around him as time went on, but she tried to keep her distance, for both their sakes.

She'd gotten a forewarning from Alice that Mr. Banner had decided to have them sample and type their own blood as part of the upcoming community drive. Bella almost left school at lunch that day, but Alice had sent a message through Jasper that she needed something from Bella before her art class after lunch.

So, Bella met up with her family to see what Alice needed, not bothering with purchasing lunch. On her way to their table, she noticed Edward sitting alone, engrossed in his composition book again, eyes half closed as he listened to something on his iPod, too quietly for even Bella's ears to pick up over the noise in the room, he had the volume so low. He glanced up as she passed and smiled, nodding his greeting.

Bella smiled back and continued to her family.

"Oh, good, Bella!" Alice bounced up to her and tugged her down to a seat. "My pencils got slipped into your bag somehow and I need them in class today."

Bella raised an eyebrow but plunked her bag on the table, rifling through it until she found Alice's tin of colored pencils. She handed it over with a questioning look.

"I think they fell out in the car," Alice explained, tucking them into her oversized purse that doubled as a book bag and in no way looked like Bella's messenger bag.

Bella looked skeptical but said nothing.

"Bella." She heard _his_ voice clear as a bell from across the room, but didn't look up, pretending it was swallowed in the noise of the room.

"Bella," Jasper nudged her. "Edward's staring at you. I think he's trying to get your attention. He's a bit anxious."

She didn't answer Jasper, just turned around to see his green eyes locked on hers. He tilted his head to one side and raised his eyebrows in clear invitation, a grin lighting his features.

Against her own reasoning, she joined, sitting across from him at the table. "Edward, I-"

"It's okay," he said, raising a hand. "I just wanted your opinion on something." Bella thought she saw the hint of a blush spread up his pale cheeks. "You always have music or something on," he explained as he handed her his earbuds. "So as kind of an unbiased but educated opinion?"

Bella nodded and tucked the headphones in, letting him hit play. The solo piano started softly, the melody slowly weaving together and building as several themes came together, then fading off again into the first quiet haunting melody. It wasn't finished, Bella could tell by the lapses and hesitations she heard, but she had enough years experience listening to music to hear the potential. "It's gorgeous," she said quietly. "Is it yours?" she tapped his composition book lightly with a fingertip.

Edward nodded, smiling brightly. "You really thought so?"

"Of course," Bella answered sincerely. "When you finish, I'd love a copy. If you don't mind?" she asked in a rush, not wanting to sound presumptuous.

"Not at all," he answered quietly, green eyes dropping to his book again.

She handed back his earphones, unable to avoid brushing her fingers against his, feeling the jolt that ran through her. "Thank you." She started to get up to leave. "Edward, I-"

He looked up expectantly and Bella lost track of what she'd been about to say as she locked her gaze on his.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said after a moment.

"You're not going to class?" He looked a bit surprised.

"Ditching class every now and then is healthy, Edward," Bella teased lightly.

He laughed. "I suppose so."

"You should try it sometime." She smiled and winked and rose to rejoin her family.

"I don't know what you did, Bells, but he's pretty happy right now," Jasper said softly, smiling. Alice was bouncing again, Emmett had a big goofy grin on his face, and even Rosalie's scowl was threatening to turn up into a smile.

Bella rolled her eyes and collected her bag. "What happened to you letting me deal with this?" She asked Alice half-heartedly. She realized that the 'thing' she'd needed was a set up to make sure she'd be in the lunchroom. "I'll see you at home," she said, deciding then to blow off gym as well. She checked out at the office saying she wasn't feeling well, but had to wait for the nurse to check out. They hadn't really been around long enough to start skipping classes yet, though Alice had foreseen a few sunny days coming up.

As she was leaving she heard a commotion in the hall at the same time she smelt blood. She immediately stopped breathing; no matter how ill the consumption of blood made her, it still brought out the predatory side of her nature. She swallowed a mouthful of venom as she peeked around the door to see Edward awkwardly supporting Mikey Newton, who had gone as white as – well – herself – and about to pass out. Fighting a laugh at Mike's macho persona being shattered, she stepped up and took the arm Edward wasn't holding and draped it over her shoulder. Mikey was lopsided, but it was better than getting dragged along the corridor she supposed.

"Oh, God," Mike muttered.

"If you puke, make sure you hit your own shoes," Edward threatened, a hint of a growl in his voice, but he was grinning.

Bella smiled, wondering how Edward had gotten stuck with the escort.

Mike staggered between them but they got him righted and into the nurse's office.

"Bella, dear, I thought you were- oh." The nurse spotted Mike and Edward. "Just sit him here." She waved at the small exam table. "What happened?"

"Blood typing lab with Mr. Banner," Edward explained. "Mr. Banner didn't give him any warning before sticking him with the lancet."

They got Mike laying down and the nurse excused them.

"Thought you were skipping?" Edward teased as they stepped outside.

"Was," Bella answered. "Just doing so officially." She waved her pass at him and was mildly surprised when she breathed again and didn't feel bothered by his scent. Attracted, yes; all powerful urge to attack, no. "No one's going to have to escort you back here?" She smiled, teasing.

Edward rolled his eyes. "He wants to be a surgeon," he scoffed quietly. "No, I'm fine. Made of sterner stuff than that, me."

"Okay." Bella fell still before remembering to fidget a bit, and she played with an end of her hair. "You should get back," she said quietly.

"Yeah. Feel better," he teased and turned back down the hall.

A couple more weeks passed and Edward and Bella continued with small talk, and Bella struggled to keep her distance. There were a few sunny days that forced her and the family to miss school, but Bella appreciated the break from school and the masses. She needed to be more wary around Edward, she knew. Emmett had talked about the new unit for his English class being a lot of local legends, and Billy Black had been in to guest lecture on some of the Quileute stories, and Emmett had decided to skip that class, so she didn't know what had been told. However, nothing had really changed, so Bella could only conclude that everything had been forgotten and her and her family could continue on in Forks without being the center of attention.

Before she knew it, it was mid-February and the school buzzed with Valentine's Day hookups, a student presentation of the Vagina Monologues that Rose had gotten involved in, and the Jazz Band's trip to Salem Oregon for the annual jazz festival at the university there.

"So," Edward started one Thursday, his pencil tapping lightly on his notebook as they worked through the lab. "Any big plans for this weekend?"

Bella grinned, though the question surprised her slightly. Edward had seemed particularly withdrawn for the last few days. "As a matter of fact, yes," she said, teasing. "I have it on good authority that there's going to be a very good day of jazz down in Salem."

The pencil stopped tapping. "You're going?"

Bella fought a smile at the hint of a blush she saw touch his ears and cheeks. "Sure," she said with a shrug. "I've heard good things about the university jazz band, and the guest artist is a favorite of mine," she said casually. Though really, she felt like something of a stalker for going down knowing Edward would be playing. She tried to convince herself she'd be going anyway, but she wasn't sure she believed herself.

Which, she realized, made her sound completely insane.

"Oh." Edward sounded slightly deflated. "Well, yeah, I mean," he stammered slightly. "The university jazz band is very good, and so's the faculty combo, if they play this year." His smile came back. "I hope we do well enough to get to play in the evening concert. It's great to get to play with legends like him."

Bella returned the smile. "Well, good luck then," she said as they finished the lab. "Or should I say 'break a leg'?"

"That'll work." He returned her smile.

The bell rang and Bella gathered her things. "Oh, Edward, do me a favor while you're gone?" she said suddenly.

He looked up, a strange look on his face.

"Be safe." Before she slipped from the room, his expression cleared slightly to reveal a smile and a hint of confusion.

She didn't know what had compelled her to add that last statement, and she rolled it through her mind on her way to gym. She worried about him – and she didn't like the idea of not being there for him and that thought scared her almost as much as the protectiveness she felt for the boy. It wasn't so much that she felt protective of him that was scary; it was that a human boy had such power over her.


	8. Chapter 8

For Edward, the couple weeks after the tree incident, as he'd termed it, returned to normal. For the first week or so there was a constant stream of questions about what happened and girls asking if he was alright or needed anything. The interest faded away when he answered every question the same and no one was able to get anything new to spread around about him. Soon, 'Mikey' Newton had replaced him as the center of attention after spectacularly (Edward had heard through the school grapevine) sticking his foot into his mouth. He faded back into the background of the student population and the story was eventually more or less forgotten. By everyone but him, at least.

Bella Swan continued to intrigue him. She saved his life and then proceeded to tell him it'd be better if they weren't friends. They chatted occasionally in class, but Edward spent more time with Emmett than Bella, though he tried not to get to know her through her brother, as much as he wanted to. He found Emmett to be a pretty good guy and Edward realized that even though he seemed to miss school a bit (and Bella and everyone else in the family for that matter), he was great to work with, and he found himself thinking of Emmett as a friend – one of the first real friends he'd had in years. He didn't want to push Emmett's buttons by asking about her, though, especially when he could pummel Edward with very little effort.

So Edward continued the small talk and tried to respect Bella's request that they not really be friends. It was harder than he'd expected; he truly liked the girl, and not just because she was attractive, but because she seemed so much more than the other girls in the school. She had some sense and wisdom about her that the other girls, for the most part, lacked. Though if he was honest with himself, her love of music was also one of the things that made her the most attractive to him. That, and the sense that she was unattainable.

And Edward Masen hadn't ever turned down a real challenge in his life.

So he continued to speak with her, at lunch or in the halls if he saw her, or ask Emmett about her when they worked on the Shakespeare project. They chatted quietly in Biology while they worked on labs. Mr. Banner didn't mind; their work was done and mostly perfectly. Edward found the more he spoke with her, the more the melody in his head grew until he had a pretty complex piece of music that reminded him of Bella.

As he was playing through it one evening, he had an idea. He ran to his room and dragged his laptop to the baby grand piano in the den, setting it up on the bench next to him. Though the piece was unfinished, he recorded what he had and synched it to his iPod. He didn't sleep that night, unsure about his plan. But he wanted some way to try to connect with Bella despite her insistence that they not be friends.

The next day was filled with anxiety. Edward had to force himself to eat around the butterflies in his stomach, knowing that if he gave in to the anxiety, he'd wind up not being able to put his plan into motion because he'd be back in the infirmary or hospital on a glucose drip. He had played any number of concerts and not been as nervous as he was for considering showcasing his composition, especially unfinished, for Bella. He wasn't sure how he made it through his classes, but somehow he found himself at lunch, sitting alone with his iPod and book of staff paper, waiting for _her_.

It had gone so much better than he'd hoped. She'd liked it. She'd asked for a copy when he got it finished. Despite knowing that she wouldn't be in class that afternoon, he left the cafeteria feeling as if he was floating slightly. No matter how many times he performed or what venues he played in, he was sure nothing was going to top the feeling of getting her validation on a piece of music he'd composed with her in mind.

He didn't even try to hide his smile upon entering biology.

"Wow." Newton spoke up from his seat at the front of the room. "What happened, Masen? You get some at lunch?"

"Could you be any more crude, _Mikey_?" Edward shot back, smirking as he threw Newton's new nick name at him.

Newton just shrugged. "Yeah, probably. As a matter of fact-"

"I don't want to hear it," Edward said, holding up his hand.

"You're such a prude, Masen," Newton said.

"Or maybe I respect women," Edward shot back, moving to his seat before he let Newton ruin his good mood any further.

Mr. Banner entered the room laden down with supplies, which he dropped at each table as he spoke. "Ladies and gentlemen, as you know, the community blood drive kicks off next week. In order to help support the effort, we will be typing our blood today." He moved back to the front of the room and looked around. "Mr. Masen, please come partner with Mr. Newton today, as both of your partners appear to be AWOL."

Edward sighed and nodded, gathering his things and moving to join Newton at the front of the room, taking the seat up against the wall, leaving Newton on the aisle.

"Here's how this works," Mr. Banner was speaking. "In each box you'll find lancets, slides, and two bottles of solution. You will prick your finger with a lancet, and put two samples of blood on each slide." Mr. Banner took Newton's hand suddenly and plunged the lancet into his index finger.

Newton looked up and went white as a sheet as he saw the blood well up. "Oh, God," he moaned, looking faint.

Mr. Banner sighed and rolled his eyes, reaching for a cotton swab. "Mr. Masen-"

Edward nodded. "I got him." With a sigh of his own, he guided Newton off the stool and took the swab, pressing it to the barely bleeding finger. "C'mon," he said, looping one of Newton's arms over his shoulder and leading him toward the nurse's office.

Newton's knees gave out on him just outside the office and Edward grunted trying to keep the other kid upright. He felt his burden eased somewhat and caught Bella's eye as she took the other side and helped keep Mike from falling on his face. Their height differences meant that Newton was off balance, but Edward was pretty sure he didn't notice since he seemed to be concentrating on not throwing up.

"Oh, God," Newton muttered again and Edward felt him lurch slightly.

"If you puke, make sure you hit your own shoes," Edward threatened, adding a bit of a snarl to his voice, though he was mostly teasing. It was mean of him to pick on Newton that way, but he put up with enough from the obnoxious trumpet player as it was; Edward really didn't want puke on his (or Bella's) shoes.

The rest of the day passed in a blur once Newton had been settled in the nurse's office and Bella'd gone off to wherever she went to ditch class. Edward completed the lab in the remaining class time, and it helped that he already knew his blood type and what to look for under the microscope. Running into Bella again outside the office reaffirmed his good mood from lunch and he was still smiling when he ran into Emmett on his way to Spanish.

"Hey, man," Emmett greeted Edward in the hallway. "You look happy."

Edward nodded. "Been a pretty good day." The smile still hadn't quite left his face. Figuring his finger had stopped bleeding from the lancet stick, he removed the paper tape from the cotton ball he'd pressed to his finger and tossed it in a garbage can as they passed. The ball had left a smudge of blood on his finger, so Edward licked his thumb and rubbed the smudge away, leaving just a dark spot that showed where he'd been stuck. He looked up as Emmett had stopped walking, a tight expression on his face. Edward noticed his friend's eyes had gone darker. "You alright?" Edward asked. "You look –" He paused, unable to come up with a word for Emmett's expression; somewhere between stressed, tense, yet he could sense him struggling with something.

Emmett shook himself suddenly and he smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes, Edward noticed and there seemed to be a sudden tightness in the laugh lines around his normally golden eyes. "Yeah. Just a bit of a headache," he said with a wave of his hand, continuing on to Spanish."I just zoned out there for a minute."

Edward nodded. It happened to him all the time if he wasn't careful. He almost commented on how tired Emmett always looked, with the dark shadows under his eyes and the pallor of his skin, but held his tongue. He considered them friends, but he wasn't sure how the criticism may be taken and though he knew he was more considerate and sensitive to the moods and thoughts of others than his peers, he didn't really want Emmett to think he was weird for caring. He knew that wasn't normal for boys his age, and there were enough rumors about his sexuality as it was.

"You coming over this afternoon?" he asked instead. They were supposed to meet up and put the finishing touches on their presentation for English, which was happening the next morning.

Emmett nodded. "Yup," he said with a loud pop on the 'p.' "I've got a couple errands to run first, though, so I'll be by around 4:30?"

"I think I told Sam and Joe 4:30, since I don't get home until around 4 anyway from orchestra," Edward agreed.

"Right," Emmett said. "I'll see you then," he said, moving to the back of the class to his seat as Señora Villagrana got started on the lesson.

Even Lauren couldn't break Edward's fairly good mood, despite her inability to grasp the basic concepts of Spanish and her insistence of using the time to shamelessly flirt with him, when they both knew she hung on every word that Mikey Newton and Tyler Crowley said. And did more than 'hung' if Edward believed the gossip. Which he didn't. Mostly.

Orchestra was one of Edward's favorite times of day. It was time he didn't have to pretend much for anyone else and he could just lose himself in the music. One of the pieces they were prepping was a piano feature for him, which he'd been working on in his lesson with Mrs. Hall, and rehearsal time was mostly spent getting the rest of the orchestra together on their parts. One piece had no piano, so Edward was slowly learning the skills to play other percussion instruments under the tutelage of Casey, a senior. They mostly stuck him on the bells or chimes or anything with real pitches since he could read music, but Edward didn't mind. He was hopeless at any of the actual drums, though he could and often did help the freshmen tune the tympani when they were forced to take their turn in the rotation; perfect pitch came in handy for that skill.

The hour rehearsal passed quickly and the time had been well spent with no one being massively distracting, which Edward appreciated. Even Newton was somewhat subdued, still looking somewhat pale and unwell, not really speaking with anyone around him when he was normally one of the most vocal.

When he arrived home, it was quiet, as he'd expected. He had about fifteen minutes before his group-mates arrived for their final meeting and rehearsal for their presentation for English. Edward occupied himself moving around furniture so they'd have room to move around and practice the fight scene and brought all the props down from his room.

They had modernized their scene a bit, spending some time to update the language (which was within the scope of the assignment) and playing with the weapons for the fight scene. They hadn't found anything that would substitute for the drama of the sword fight, so had opted for arting up some plastic swords. Among the other props was an elaborate wine goblet that Emmett said he'd found in the basement of his house that weighed as much as a gallon of milk, and a set of paper crowns from a local burger joint.

"Hey, man," Emmett greeted when Edward let him in. He looked better than when Edward had seen him earlier in the day, dramatically less stressed, with the purple bruises under his eyes faded somewhat and the color back in his eyes.

"Get everything done?" Edward stepped back and left the main door open so Sam and Joe could let themselves in.

Emmett nodded. "Esme – mom – just needed a few things picked up while we were out today. Jazz and I get to do her heavy lifting," he said with a roll of his eyes.

Edward grinned. "What's she do?"

Emmett leaned up against the wall, folding his arms over his chest. "She's an interior designer. She has some pretty high end clients in Seattle and Portland, but right now apparently she's finally decided to start remodeling the house." He sighed. "Now that we've been there a couple months, everyone's had their input and she's ready to make the changes. Apparently Alice decided that all the girls need a bigger closets." He rolled his eyes.

Edward laughed quietly at the disbelief in his friend's voice, wondering what it'd be like to have a sister around all the time.

"Hey guys," Sam and Joe greeted them. Edward noticed Joe's hand lingering against Sam's back. That was something new.

"Hey," Emmett said with a wave, grinning.

They chatted for a few minutes before settling in to get to work. They ran through the scene twice to double check the pacing so Joe would have enough time to literally switch hats in his roles as Claudius, Horatio and Osric, and for Emmett to leave his Laertes costume on the floor to mark the character's death and switch into his role as Fortinbras to conclude the scene. They had cut the scene down from the original, but it still was a solid ten minutes.

When they were finished and everyone left, Edward settled himself at the piano until his parents came home. He lost himself in the composition he'd been working on, Bella's praise helping him find inspiration to fill in the gaps. When his parents came home he joined them for takeout that his father had picked up in Port Angeles and then moved on to finish his homework.

Edward's group earned a perfect score for their portrayal of the final minutes of Hamlet, and there were even a few tears at the final exchange between Edward's Hamlet and Joe's Horatio, which made Edward puff up slightly with pride.

With the Shakespeare unit completed, the teacher moved the class in a completely opposite direction, and put together a unit on local fiction, specifically fiction of the Pacific Northwest. They'd be reading Sky Fisherman by Craig Lesley and do a unit on local Quileute legends. The teacher had arranged for one of the elders for the local tribe, Billy Black, and his son Jacob, to visit the class and share some of their stories personally.

The rest of Edward's time was soaked up with preparing for the Jazz festival in Salem. The jazz band was working harder and harder each week in an attempt to be one of the winning bands and perform in the main-stage show at the festival, including one tune with the guest artist. Edward was thankful that they hadn't found another pianist for the guest artist so he'd have a chance to play with another legend. Forks High had won the high school division the previous year, and Edward had great memories about that concert.

Throughout it all, he and Bella continued to politely ignore each other, though not from a lack of Edward's trying to make conversation. He tried to keep it casual and light and he did slowly get to know her through brief conversations, but he couldn't help but think that there was something she was trying to hide by keeping herself apart from him.

It seemed strange to Edward, though, that Emmett didn't seem to have the same reluctance. They didn't spend much time together outside of school, once their shared English project was finished, but Edward found him an easy companion in and between classes. He did puzzle over how two adopted siblings could share so many similar features (their eyes captivated him), and the way most people kept away from them when they were pleasant enough. He noticed that in trig most of the class left Jasper and Alice alone in their seats at the back of the room as well, and even though Edward didn't spend any time with them at all, Alice seemed friendly enough when he encountered her, and he noticed that Jasper just stuck with his family most of the time, seeming like he was constantly in pain. He wondered idly if the blonde had some kind of chronic medical condition.

He finished the trig test with fifteen minutes left in the period and let his thoughts wander along that vein as he slipped his earbuds in and casually gazed out the window. It was a typically overcast day, though it wasn't actually raining. A young Native American man pushing a wheelchair grabbed his attention, and Edward remembered they'd be having a guest speaker in English. Billy Black was one of the tribal elders from La Push, and the younger man was probably his son, Jacob, if Edward remembered what his teacher had said the previous day.

Edward'd been enjoying the unit on local literature. Though he hadn't grown up in the Northwest, it was easy to feel the connection the authors had to the area through their literature. There was something uniquely different about living in the Northwest than in Chicago, and it wasn't just the difference in lifestyle from the city to the sleepy town of Forks. He doubted that he'd find a class on "Illinois" literature at his old school, and the Midwest was a big enough area he wasn't sure he'd get the connection the way he had through the works they'd been reading.

The bell rang, jarring Edward from his musings. He slung his messenger bag over his shoulder, feeling his water bottle bounce of the back of his leg as he tucked the chair back under the desk and headed for English. He automatically looked through the halls for Emmett; they usually met up when Emmett got out of chemistry a few doors down. He frowned when he didn't see the bear of a friend, but continued on, tucking his iPod away as he stepped into the classroom.

Billy and Jacob Black were already there, talking quietly with the teacher at the front of the room while the rest of the class piled in and took their seats. The bell rang and there was still no sign of Emmett. It was strange, Edward thought; Emmett missed school a lot, but he usually asked Edward to get his assignments first since they shared so many classes. He hoped nothing was wrong.

Emmett soon slipped to the back of Edward's mind as Billy began telling some of the stories from the reservation. Among those he told were the legend of how the tribe was descended from wolves and the role the wolf played in their culture.

"And of course, there are other legends about wolves," Billy segued. "Any number of cultures have their stories about wolves and their natural enemies, some of which have been picked up by Hollywood in the last several years."

The class laughed softly, and Edward watched Jacob sweep his eyes around the room, searching for something.

"The Quileute tribe has a similar legend about the wolves' natural enemy," Billy said in his quiet, softly accented voice, leaning forward slightly in his wheelchair. "We have an old story about a family that used to live outside of town. The 'Cold Ones' they were called. They were forbidden to walk onto the tribal lands, despite agreeing to live peaceably amongst the people. They agreed to not hunt around any settlement, and the Elders agreed to leave them alone."

"Hunt what?" one of the girls piped up.

Billy stared at her. "People," he said simply and Edward bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud at the girl's expression. He was a fantastic storyteller, Edward had to admit, even if he didn't lend much credence to the legends.

"Whoa, wait a minute," another student spoke up.

Billy laughed. "It's just an old story, one that I doubt is even true," he said with his broad smile.

The teacher stepped up at that point. "Alright. Let's thank Billy and Jacob for coming out today," she said, and started a round of applause. The bell rang, ending the period and Edward gathered his things and made his way to history.

"Hey," Emmett greeted Edward as he slid into his seat. "Did I miss anything?"

"Hey." Edward nodded. Apparently it wasn't anything serious that had called Emmett away from class. "Just story time. No homework tonight."

"Oh, right, that guest speaker was today." Emmett frowned, then shrugged. "Oh well."

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly, though Edward was finding himself distracted by the last legend Billy Black had related to his class. Something was twigging his usually sharp memory, but he couldn't figure out what it was. He was sufficiently distracted that he let Bella continue on her mission to ignore him throughout biology without attempting to engage her in conversation like he normally did.

He went straight home after rehearsal and powered up his computer. It booted up quickly and he settled down with Google and entered search terms relating to Billy's story. He clicked on one of the top links that looked promising and settled in to read.

After a half hour he sat back, rubbing a hand over his eyes. The legend Billy had spoken of was about a group of vampires that fed on animals. Someone had transcribed some of the stories from the elders and posted them online.

Edward abandoned his computer and went to take his contacts out, thinking about what he'd just read and letting the pieces fall into place.

The website had described the legend in more detail than Billy had provided at the end of class. A family of vampires had constructed a home outside Forks in the 1930s. The elders had recognized them for who they were and despite assurances that the family was not dangerous to the people, they were forbidden on the reservation and surrounding tribal lands. The story described a young man in his late 20s as the leader of the group, a young woman of a similar age with dark hair, and a teenage girl with long dark hair. They all had eyes of varying shades of gold, had been especially pale yet beautiful. The family had brokered a treaty with the residents of La Push and it was still in effect. The story didn't mention any names specifically, but one face popped into Edward's head as he stowed his contacts and slipped into his glasses after washing his face.

Bella.

He sat back in front of the computer and redirected Google to search for information about vampires. Most of what came up were things Edward was familiar with and dismissed immediately. He found an encyclopedia of sorts and sifted through the entries, organized by country of origin. Most of it seemed to be nonsense but a few items remained constant. Sensitivity to sunlight, diet of blood, incredible strength and speed, and enhanced senses.

Edward's mind automatically replayed the incident with the tree. He knew Bella had been inside, yet she'd managed to get to his side as the tree came down. He'd watched the branch fall over her back and she'd brushed it off.

Other things started popping into his mind. The days that Emmett and Bella weren't in school were usually fair weather days. They'd passed it off saying their father liked to take them camping as often as possible so they went when the weather was good.

They never ate lunch. They bought lunch, but it always went into the bin uneaten.

Edward shut his computer down and flung himself on his bed. It wasn't possible. Vampires didn't exist. They were a figure of popular mythology designed to scare people into going to church and remaining faithful and to keep from being sexually promiscuous.

He wasn't doing a great job of convincing himself of that.

His thoughts chased themselves in circles until he couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed his iPod from the dock and hooked in his headphones, flopping back onto his bed. He cranked the volume up as loud as he could stand it and set up a new album he hadn't listened to yet to play on repeat. He lay there for a couple hours, letting the tracks repeat until he had most of the melodies memorized and was playing air piano for most of them. His thoughts consumed with the music he was able to slow his mind down and keep it from running in circles. He dozed off eventually, the music chasing thoughts and dreams away.

Edward kept to himself for the next two days. He felt eyes on the back of his head in Trig, but didn't turn to see if it was Alice or Jasper staring at him (and he was sure it was one of the two). Emmett looked at him oddly when he remained quietly contemplative in the next couple classes, and he found a seat by himself at lunch both days, needing to think. He wasn't sure what to do with his suspicions, knowing everyone would just think he was insane for even suggesting it.

It was easy enough to stay quiet in biology, the up and down nature of his 'friendship' with Bella easily sliding into a silent exchange of microscopes and slides. However, on the day before he and the Jazz band left for Salem, he decided he should at least try to seem like things were normal, for lack of a better word. When he asked about her plans, he was surprised to hear she'd be going down to see the festival he'd be performing at.

And then she'd asked him to be careful. The sentiment surprised but also pleased him. Maybe he'd been wrong and she really did care about him, somehow.

The next morning passed in a blur, and Edward as relieved to see that Mr. Hall had reserved an entire charter bus for the twenty piece band and hadn't decided to force them all into the tight space of an 18 passenger van with a second driver of a rental truck for their gear. It meant that he'd likely get a seat to himself and wouldn't have to interact too much with anyone if he didn't want to, which was important to him for a six hour drive.

Edward added his duffel bag to the pile of luggage and instruments that were waiting on the sidewalk and stood off to one side with his messenger bag while the other band members milled around waiting for instructions. After a few minutes, Mr. Hall arrived with Casey in tow with a few percussion items that weren't usually found on a drum kit. The Festival had promised that kits would be provided at each of the performance venues.

"Alright, what are you all waiting for? Load up!" Mr. Hall bellowed. Zach and Steve starting organizing instruments for one compartment, luggage for another and within fifteen minutes, everything was loaded and most of the band was on board.

Edward inexplicably looked over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs onto the bus, and his eyes locked with Bella Swan's as she stood, leaning against the wall of the cafeteria, Alice chittering away at her shoulder from the looks of things. Edward smiled, turned back, and found a seat near the front of the bus, well away from Newton and the other louder members of the group. He double checked his iPod was fully charged, shifted so he could stretch his legs out on the seat next to him, and let his eyes fall closed as the bus pulled out of the parking lot.


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks for all the reviews!

**

Bella half listened to Alice as she watched the jazz band (_Edward_) load up on the bus from her position propped up against the wall of the cafeteria.

"Bella, are you listening to me?" Alice asked, pouting slightly.

"I'm sorry, what?" Bella turned her attention to the dark haired vampire as the bus pulled away.

"I _said_," Alice huffed "that Jasper needs me to go with him into Seattle tonight, and we won't be back until Sunday, so I won't be able to go with you to Salem."

Bella was a bit disappointed, but nodded. It wasn't the first time one of her paired family members needed to cancel plans with her to be with their mate. She was fairly used to it. "Alright."

Alice frowned. "Just 'alright?' You're not going to make a fuss about me bailing on you?"

Bella shrugged, noting Alice's confusion. "Would it do me any good?"

Alice's mouth twitched in a half smile. "No, probably not."

"So why fight it?" Bella grinned. "It's really okay. Have fun with Jazz." She picked up her bag from where she left it on the ground next to her. "I'm going to get moving. See you later?"

Alice shook her head. "Nope. We're leaving right after school, so I won't see you till Monday. Oh, you may want to pack a couple apples or something in your bag before you go." With that, Alice waved and headed back into the cafeteria where Bella knew Jasper was waiting with Emmett and Rosalie.

Bella shrugged at Alice's last statement, used to such non sequiturs from her after a half-century of living together. She made her way to biology where she sat through another insufferable lecture from Mr. Banner before gym. Gym passed with no sign of Alice so Bella figured she and Jasper must've left for Seattle already.

After school let out for the day, Bella went home and packed for a light weekend away. Though she wasn't particularly thirsty, she hunted around twilight, knowing she was going to spend the next day surrounded by humans in an enclosed environment, and though she wouldn't be tempted to drink, she'd rather not be annoyed by the constant thirst. The festival started at 8 am, so she set off around three am for the six hour drive that her truck would make in four. Heeding Alice's words, she plucked a couple pieces of fruit from the bowl on Esme's bar counter, wrinkling her nose slightly at the smell as she tucked them into her messenger bag.

Bella arrived in Salem around 8 am, having taken the coastal highway until she cut inland and then stopping to watch the sunrise from a random rooftop. She chose no particular playlist for the drive, letting the iPod shuffle through the 160gigs of music at random.

She couldn't check into her hotel until noon, so Bella parked her truck (rain was forecast for Washington and the speed of her bike wasn't worth getting soaked) at the hotel, locked her duffel bag in the cab, slung on her messenger bag and walked the mile to the university campus at a human speed.

When she reached campus, signs directed her to the main music building. A table inside displayed programs and information about the university. Bella grabbed both and stepped into a windowless passage way as the clouds broke, allowing the sun to come through the gorgeous building. Tucked away in her alcove, Bella studied the program.

The festival was spread over two buildings. The evening concert would be taking place in the larger older auditorium on campus, but the competition was running both there and in the hall in the more modern building Bella stood in.

Edward, Forks High, Bella mentally rebuked herself, was performing in the first slot after lunch in Smith Auditorium, the larger venue. Bella decided to just stay put until the lunch break, when she could run back to check into her hotel and be back for the afternoon performances. She would also have a few hours to kill between the end of the competition and the evening concert, but there was a used bookstore a few blocks from campus and she could easily burn time in there. She had the money to buy new books (and often participated in auctions to get rare or first editions), thanks to Alice and Jasper's skill at negotiating their investments, but there was something about older used books that Bella liked. It was an insight into humanity, the way people cared, or not, for their books. Besides, Bella preferred small shops over chains the way Alice preferred boutiques. Things were just better in small operations she'd found over the years.

Bella heard the tune finish and applause smatter through the heavy doors and she knew she'd not interrupt by slipping in. She glanced quickly around the hall and made her way quietly to the top, taking a seat in the corner against the wall. She heard her phone beep in her bag – an ultra low tone that only she or her family (or other vampires) would hear.

**1 msg from Alice**

Bella pressed the read button.

**watch out for weather: spotty sun 2day in Sm. Have fun. 3**

Bella smiled and quickly typed her reply.

**will stay in or run. u 2**

Her phone beeped again after a few moments, while she was listening to a slow jazz ballad from one of the Salem High Schools.

**U get fruit?**

Bella frowned, confused.

**Yes. Y?**

Alice's reply was typical of her meddling pixie like ways.

**you'll see. 143pm**

Bella's reply was succinct.

**:p**

The next several hours passed fairly quickly. The bands each had 15 minute sets with 10 minutes between each for changeovers. Bella found herself critiquing each group, surprised how good some of the younger bands were. There was a lot of talent wandering around campus that day. She noticed the hall begin to fill up as she read from Pride and Prejudice during the changovers, as it got a bit later in the morning and more groups had arrived on campus. From her vantage point she could see the rest of the hall and was not surprised when Edward slipped in and into a seat in the last row of the lower part of the hall.

He was dressed in black slacks that looked to have been tailored for him, black socks and shoes, and a white button up, tucked in with the top two buttons open and the sleeves rolled up to below his elbows displaying his strong looking forearms and hands. He had his glasses on again and Bella got lost in thought for a few minutes about how he so easily switched back and forth between glasses and contacts and wondered if his choice depended on his mood each day.

Almost as if he knew he was being watched, Edward turned casually to look around the hall. Bella watched as he grinned when his eyes frond her. She couldn't help but return the smile as his grin broadened before he turned his attention back to the stage. Bella's thoughts wandered as the music continued.

She wasn't doing a good job of staying away from him, and she finally admitted to herself that she didn't want to. Everything screamed that she should, but she couldn't. She liked him. Though they hadn't really talked much, she knew Emmett liked him, and that meant something. Bella found Edward smart and funny and easy to be with. Despite her screaming intuition that warned her, she knew she was finally close to following her family's advice and seeing what happened.

She knew what the ultimate end would be, if she let herself follow her heart. But she wasn't sure her conscience could take it, knowing she'd end that beautiful boy's chance at a full human life. Which was why she still resisted, even though she had her suspicions it was futile.

Her phone beeped again.

**2 msgs**

The first was from Alice.

**ur giving me headache**

The second from Jasper:

**A is giving me whiplash. What did u do?**

Bella replied to Alice first.

**Sorry. Will call l8r**

To Jasper, she just suggested he take her shopping. Bella was watching Edward as much as the band on stage when her phone beeped again, with another message from Jasper.

**not helping. U okay?**

Bella smirked – whatever Alice had been seeing in her visions as Bella's mind had wandered between options had to be intense if retail therapy wasn't working. Or else they were already at the mall. She sent Jasper back a quick message.

**will b. will call l8r. could use the chat**

She didn't get a response and figured they'd accepted that she'd be fine. Bella saw Edward glance at his watch and frown. When the band on stage finished their set, Edward rose smoothly and ducked out of the hall, pausing briefly to look back over his shoulder at her before he left.

There was one more band scheduled before lunch and Bella picked up her tattered copy of Pride and Prejudice again while the set changed. Tucked up in the corner as she was, she couldn't escape when Mikey Newton plopped down next to her. She sighed, smothering a growl. She hadn't seen him enter, but she'd been rather distracted.

"We-ell, fancy meeting you here," he said. He was dressed similarly to Edward, though Bella had to stifle a laugh at the white socks peeking out from the hem of his trousers. Boys. "You drive all this way just to see me play? I'd have given you a private show at home."

Bella rolled her eyes at the immature innuendo and considered removing him permanently from the gene pool, thinking that the blood-sickness would be completely worth it. "No."

"No?" He looked confused.

"No, I didn't come down to see _you_," Bella answered.

Mikey scowled. "You came to see Masen?" The way he said Edward's name sounded like a curse.

She had, in part, but he didn't need to know that. "No. My parents got me a ticket to the concert tonight as a gift and I thought I'd come down early to see the bands compete for the winning spots." The half truth slid easily from her tongue.

"Huh. Well, you know, I could probably manage to give you a backstage tour, if you're interested." Mike offered.

"No, thank you," Bella said. She quickly gathered up her things. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to visit the ladies' room." She easily stepped around him, even as he was sprawled in the auditorium chair. She made sure to walk at a comfortable human pace down the stairs and slipped out of the hall before the next band begun their set. She didn't look back, but she heard his laugh as she stumbled over the small rise between the doors.

Bella bypassed the restrooms in the hall, and surreptitiously checked the weather before strolling outside. She breathed deeply, clearing her mind of the buildup of the scent of human from being enclosed in the hall for several hours. She felt no bloodlust or sting of venom, but there had been enough different scents in the room from all the bodies that it was a definite relief to breathe cool damp air that smelled of vegetation and water, though being a university campus the scent of people was also on the air.

The sun was threatening to break through the clouds again, so Bella took off at a run to her hotel, arriving in the lobby within a matter of minutes, not even winded. She smoothed down the light skirt she was wearing and dazzled the poor desk clerk into letting her check in early so she could hide from the sun for a bit. She regretted not asking Carlisle if she could borrow his car with the darker tinted windows, or her bike so she could hide behind full body leathers.

She tossed her messenger bag onto the bed, not having stopped at her truck for fear of exposure and stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. She adjusted her necklace, moving the clasp back to the nape of her neck and idly brushing a hand down the light weight pink sweater set she wore with her linen skirt. She turned sideways in front of the floor length mirror on the wall, studying her profile. She objectively knew she was attractive, but never felt that she compared with her family. She felt plain, despite knowing she was evolutionarily designed to be alluring to more easily capture her prey.

Bella studied her frame for another couple of moments, taking her time to consider the swell of her breasts and the curve of her hips and waist before turning to face the mirror again and studying her reflection, including the flat plane of her belly and the length of pale while legs encased in tights and mid-calf-high boots. She snorted at her own ridiculousness, snatched her messenger bag back off the bed and let the door slam behind her.

The cloud cover had returned and Bella took her truck to campus this time, taking longer than it had taken her walk the first time, even at human speed. She finally found a parking spot in the main lot and retraced her steps to the music building. Wanting to stay outside, but not confident that the weather would hold, she crossed to the older, larger Smith auditorium and was pleased to find benches in the breezeway that connected the auditorium to the old music building undercover and out of the way even if the sun should decide to reappear. She settled herself with her book to enjoy the rest of the lunch break.

Hearing Mikey Newton's voice brought her out of her book.

"Just leave it somewhere, man. He won't even realize it's gone. He's got his music memorized anyway, if it's not with him, so what's it matter?"

Bella frowned and looked up, watching Mike and another boy she'd not met dump something behind some bushes. Mike and the other boy turned to go back inside, not having seen Bella sitting there. She wondered who had done what to Mike that would cause him to risk his chance on stage. Bella didn't know Mike very well personally, but she knew enough that she'd not bet on him risking a chance to shine. It went against his personality to think otherwise.

Taking a deep breath, Bella replaced her book in her bag and made for the main entrance of the auditorium, taking a seat toward the back of the hall, under the balcony overhang. She'd stay for all the groups performing in that venue until the break for the evening concert like she'd done for the morning sessions.

She watched her classmates set up on stage, finding each of them had a folder on their stand, except for Edward's, which was perched on the edge of the piano bench. The band slowly dribbled onto the stage, taking their places, all dressed in white and black. They warmed up, and Mr. Hall nodded to someone off stage.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," a woman with dark hair pulled off her face spoke into a microphone. "Welcome back to Jazz Festival twenty-five. Thanks for sticking with us for the afternoon session. If you haven't already bought them, there are still tickets available for this evening's concert. And now, let me ask you to welcome Mr. Tom Hall and the Forks High School Jazz Ensemble from Forks, Washington."

There was a smattering of applause throughout the room. It was by no means filled to capacity, but there were several groups of young students clumped together along the sides of the room with cases piled in the aisles and a couple rows of what Bella could only assume were her classmates' parents in the middle of the center section of seats.

Mr. Hall didn't do any further introduction and kicked off the band's first tune. It was loud and fast at the beginning and faded into a smooth melody quickly. Bella had to grudgingly accept that Mikey Newton was a fairly decent player as she listened to his solo, followed by one of the trombone players and a tenor sax. The piece ended as loud as it had begun and the sparse crowd clapped enthusiastically as Mr. Hall gestured for each of the soloists to be acknowledged again.

The second piece was slower and began with a quiet piano solo that captivated Bella's attention. Edward may have preferred to perform classical piano with the orchestra, but she could hear that he was enjoying himself with the jazz performance as well. The mid portion of the song was largely improvised piano, and Bella was impressed with the complexity of the solos after the others she'd heard throughout the morning. She wondered if it had anything to do with his composition skills. She heard elements of the composition he'd played for her a couple weeks before woven into the solo, and she felt something long dead within her warm knowing he was doing it for her, knowing she was there.

At the end of the piece Edward turned on the bench and bowed slightly from the shoulders in acknowledgement, and Bella watched his eyes sweep over the house until they settled on her and he grinned before turning back to the piano. Bella looked over the rest of the group and noticed the hostile look on Mike Newton's face, and wondered at the cause of the expression.

Mr. Hall kicked off the final tune of their set after thanking everyone for coming out. The last song was upbeat and straight forward with only a small amount of solo space that went to one of the saxophone players. Bella applauded with the rest of the audience when they were finished and settled back with her book again while the stage crew appeared to rearrange things.

The next band appeared and Bella tucked her book between her thigh and the seat. She smelled Edward before she saw him since he came down from the back of the hall between the second and third song of the current band's set.

"Hello," he said quietly, slipping into the seat next to her.

"Hi, Edward," Bella greeted him, swallowing venom. She found it was getting easier to be with him.

"Having a nice day?"

"Oh, you know," she said lightly, teasing. "That was a good set."

"Thanks." He slumped down in the chair, shaking his head slightly. The band on stage was into their third chart, but they were far enough back they weren't disturbing anyone. She noticed his hands curl into light fists.

"Edward, are you alright?" When he turned to her, she saw that his eyes had a glazed over look and Bella could see the faint sheen of sweat beading on his forehead.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, fine," he answered absently, voice faint, turning back to the band.

"Edward?" Bella said, trying to gain his attention again. Something was clearly not alright as he turned sluggishly to look at her. Something Emmett had said suddenly popped into her head. He needs to eat more often than usual, even for a human. "Edward, did you eat?" She asked, reaching for her bag. She caught a glimpse of her watch as her sleeve fell back when she pulled her bag into her lap. 1:43.

"Had a sandwich," he said with a nod. "Couldn't find my bag after we played, though…" he trailed off.

Bella dug through her bag for the apple she knew was in there. She found it and pressed it into Edward's hand. "Eat, Edward," she commanded gently, while internally seething. She had a feeling she knew exactly where his bag had ended up. She needed to have a serious conversation with Mikey Newton. Or better yet, let Emmett and Rosalie take care of it.

She watched from the corner of her eye as Edward methodically brought the apple to his mouth and took a bite. After a couple more, he seemed to come around a bit, though he dropped his gaze to the floor as he finished the fruit. Bella saw the tips of his ears turn red and the light flush of his cheeks let her know he was embarrassed, but she preferred that look over the pasty pale one of a few minutes previous. Once she was satisfied that he was going to be alright, she fixed her gaze on the band on stage, giving Edward as much privacy as she could sitting next to him.

As soon as the band was finished, she rose. "I'll be right back," she said quietly, leaving her bag sitting with Edward as she retraced her steps outside. She found the bush and Edward's bag behind it. She slung it over her shoulder and stepped confidently into the old music building, finding Mr. Hall in the old band room with another man Bella could only assume was another band director.

"Excuse me, Mr. Hall?" she interrupted politely. "Have you seen Mike Newton? I think he lost his bag." She patted the bag resting on her hip.

"Not since we finished. But isn't that Edward's bag?" He pointed to the embroidered initials on the flap. E.A.M.

"Oh, right," she simpered, calling Jessica's voice to mind. "I had just seen Mike with this bag, so I thought…oh well. I think I saw Edward in the auditorium. I'll see he gets it."

"Thank you –"

"Bella," she introduced herself. "Bella Swan."

Mr. Hall's eyes widened just a bit, and Bella inwardly laughed, knowing he had to be aware of the school gossip about her interaction with Mike. When his eyes narrowed, she had to give the man credit for being aware of the relationships between his students as he realized what Bella had subtly conveyed.

"Thanks Mr. Hall. Great set, by the way. I'm going to get back in there." Bella offered him a shy smile and turned to go back outside and return to the hall, smiling triumphantly. She dashed back into the hall, finding herself to be pleasantly surprised that Edward hadn't left while she'd been gone.

"Here," she said quietly. The stage was still bustling with the changeover as she handed Edward his bag.

"Thank you," he said quietly. He pulled a water bottle from the bag and drank half of it in one go. His color had completely returned and he seemed more settled as he fished out a small bag of carrot sticks and slowly worked his way through them.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Edward spoke again. "How did you know what I needed? Or where my bag was?"

Bella turned her attention back to him for a moment. He had tucked the apple core into the empty baggie and was idly turning and twisting it in his hands. "Emmett mentioned something about you eating even more often than he does," she said lightly with a grin. "One of our classmates in Minneapolis was diabetic, and we learned the signs of hypoglycemia," she lied smoothly. "And I saw Newton and another kid dump something behind the bushes. I didn't realize it was your bag, or I would have picked it up sooner," she apologized.

Edward fixed her with an odd look, and Bella suddenly had a feeling that something had just irrevocably shifted between them. But the look passed after a moment and Edward sighed. "Newton's an ass," he said quietly. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sorry."

Bella thought that was putting it mildly, especially since that stunt could have easily landed Edward in the hospital or worse. She frowned, looking at him. "What for? Swearing? Please, you forget I live with Emmett," she said.

Edward chuckled softly, flashing her his crooked grin. "Right."

"Besides," she said conversationally as the band on stage got ready to play. "It's milder than what I was thinking of calling him." She smiled. Edward's laugh was low and rich in her ears under the opening strains of the band's first tune. They sat in silence as the band finished their set. Bella's phone beeped, but she ignored it, knowing it was Alice.

When the set was finished, she caught Edward turning to her. "Do you have plans for dinner?" he asked quietly. "I need to be here for the awards thing at five, and Mr. Hall is thankfully not making us eat as a group tonight before the evening concert."

Bella considered for a moment. "No, I don't have any plans," she said.

Edward smiled. "There's a great little Italian place right around the corner from campus. Would you like to join me?"

Bella smiled and nodded. "Yes." She didn't let herself think about it.

"Okay." He looked like he hadn't expected that answer. "I'll meet you here after the awards ceremony then? I need to go meet back up with Mr. Hall."

"Sure, Edward," Bella said with a nod.

He smiled again, gathered his bag and paused. He leaned in close and Bella held her breath despite the instinct to breathe him in as his lips brushed over her temple. "Thank you," he whispered, before he walked up the aisle and slipped out of the hall.

Edward's scent lingered around her and she swallowed back a mouthful of venom. She reached for her phone and read the text from Alice.

**just go with it. be happy bella.**

She smiled and tucked the phone back into her bag without texting Alice back.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, and Bella kept her seat as the stage was reset and four young women came in with certificates and plaques, followed by a tall, distinguished looking man with silver hair in a pair of slacks and a polo shirt. The auditorium slowly filled up with people and noise as the bands from the day piled in to get the results of their performances and see who would be performing in the evening concert. Bella read through the commotion, looking up as she heard a couple of familiar voices.

"What the hell, Masen? You run and tattle on me?"

"I didn't say anything."

Bella easily found Edward and Mike, standing in the aisle on the far side of the auditorium. Mike's stance was openly hostile, arms crossed over his chest and he looked angry. Edward looked like he was trying to keep his temper in check.

"Like hell you didn't. How else did Mr. Hall know that I'd taken your bag and slap me with a week of detention when we get back?" A couple of others had joined them in a loose circle while other people were filing into the room.

"It wasn't me," Edward answered firmly. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides. "But I'd say you got off easy with a week's detention. Stay away from my stuff, Newton." Edward turned to find a seat, but Bella watched as one of Mike's hands shot out and grasped Edward by the shoulder.

Edward froze. Bella quickly glanced around the room, but no one else seemed to be aware of what was happening. She quickly grabbed her things and ran from her seat to the curtained entrance on the aisle where the boys were arguing.

"Get your hands off me, Newton." Edward's voice was low and threatening. "Stay away from me and my things, and I won't let it slip to my parents what your little stunt today caused."

Mike snorted, stepping back and letting his hand fall from Edward's shoulder. Bella took a seat in the last row, watching, ready to stop them if it went too far. "Sure, run to mommy and daddy like the pansy you are," Mike said. But the threat seemed to work, and Bella wondered how many times the two boys had clashed in the last two and a half years. "No wonder everyone thinks you're just a mama's boy."

"Whatever." Bella heard Edward sigh before he stepped away from the group and slid into a seat at the end of a full row. Mike and his couple of followers took seats in the row in front of Edward with the rest of the group from Forks and Bella sat back in her seat.

Once again, she'd felt that need to protect Edward, even though he hadn't really been in any danger. Even Mike wasn't stupid enough to start something in the middle of a crowded auditorium, and it looked like Edward knew how to control his temper. Bella, however, seethed. She supposed the detention was the best she could hope for with very little proof about the circumstances, especially since she had a feeling Edward hadn't told Mr. Hall how serious the situation had been. But she was mostly just angry with Mike for being so stupid, though she doubted he understood the severity of what he'd done.

The anger was short lived as her mind replayed the bare brush of lips over her temple and the way his scent had danced around her.

The awards ceremony started shortly thereafter and Bella tuned most of it out until they announced the two bands that would be performing with the guest artist before the university's portion of the program. After hearing at least half the bands perform, Bella wasn't surprised to hear that Forks High would be representing the high school competitors and one of the bands from Salem took the Jr. high slot. Once everyone had been given their certificates of participation and packets that Bella assumed were from the judges, the crowds started to disperse. There was only an hour and a half until the evening concert started, and most of the festival participants would be back after getting a quick supper nearby.

Bella moved into the foyer to wait for Edward. She leaned casually against the wall, ankles crossed with her hands behind her back, watching the people stream by. Edward appeared after a couple of minutes, running his hand through his hair, looking for her. He grinned when he saw her and crossed the room in a few long strides.

"Ready?"

Bella nodded. "What time do you have to be back?" She glanced at her watch.

"6:45," he said. It was nearly 5:45. "We can walk, I think, if that's alright? It's only a few blocks."

Bella nodded. "If you're sure we'll make it back on time."

"No problem," Edward assured her as Mike appeared, smirking as he approached.

Bella growled at him. She couldn't help it, really, but he was a threat to Edward and annoyed her to the end of her (cultivated to be near endless) patience. Edward turned toward her at the sound, eyebrows raised and his green eyes wide. Mike took a step back at the sound, nearly tripping over his feet in an effort to back away.

"Did you just _growl_ at him?" Edward asked quietly.

Bella shrugged. "Come on," she said softly, pushing off the wall. "Let's go." Things had definitely shifted between them.

**

Chapters from here are getting a bit longer. I'm working on Ch. 17 of 20 now, and will hopefully continue to post about once a week as I finish chapters (I'm trying to stay a bit ahead of everything). Up next is Edward's POV on things, and it'll hopefully be out next week.

Thanks for reading and responding!


	10. Chapter 10

Edward was pretty anxious on the short walk to the restaurant. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to thank Bella in that way earlier, but he was grateful she had been there. It'd been quite some time since he'd faded so quickly and he'd not really even had time to panic about not finding his bag before the lethargy had taken over. But Bella's comment about him needing to eat more than Emmett had thrown everything back into the front of his mind after the stress of the bus trip and previous night's hotels arrangements and the long couple of days ahead.

She'd growled at Newton, and Edward swore there'd been a possessive look on her face when the trumpet player had approached. He glanced over and noticed her eyes were slightly darker than they'd been.

They walked the few blocks in silence, Edward being unable to find a thread of conversation that seemed casual enough, when his thoughts were tumbling around so chaotically. The restaurant was busy, but not overly so for so early on a Saturday, and they were able to get seated promptly. He hadn't even needed to ask for anything more private as they were led to a small table in an alcove set away from the rest of the patrons.

"Your server will be with you in just a moment," the hostess said, giving Edward a look that wasn't at all subtle, raking her eyes over his body. "Can I get you started with anything?"

Edward glanced at Bella who seemed more amused than anything, a small smile playing over her face. "I'll just have water," Edward answered.

The hostess nodded and turned to go without waiting to hear if Bella wanted anything, but when he went to call her back, Bella waved him off. "So, what is it between you and Mike?" she asked quietly, settling back into her chair.

Edward sighed. "Newton and I have never gotten along," he explained. "I think he thinks I'm invading his territory or something." He rolled his eyes.

Bella nodded, face serious though he could see the hint of a smile in her eyes. "So, it's a testosterone thing."

Edward chuckled. "Yeah, you can say that. And a musician thing." The hostess chose that moment to return with his water, and he could see her phone number scrawled on the napkin she placed under the glass. He had expected it and didn't acknowledge it outright; he hoped their server was more well behaved. She stepped away with a quiet huff and Bella laughed softly, making Edward smile. He toyed with his straw before continuing. "Trumpet players are particularly renowned for their egos," he teased lightly.

"Hm." Bella grinned at him. "I think I've heard the same thing about prima donna pianists."

Edward laughed. "True enough." He took a long drink from his water. "Seriously, though, I have no idea what his problem is with me. I've never done anything to him as far as I know, except be the new kid." He shrugs. "But he's been tormenting me for two and a half years, I'm sure it's not going to stop any time soon."

"So he's done something like that before?" Bella asked, flipping open a menu.

He shrugged. "Mostly he's just annoying." Edward wondered where her fascination with Newton was coming from, but he seemed a neutral enough topic of conversation for the moment.

Bella nodded. "Well, I'm glad I was there today," she said quietly, ducking her head.

"Me too." Edward smiled, though he could tell she was trying to hide behind her hair again.

"Hi there!" A new voice popped up and Edward turned his head. "I'm Joel, your server," he introduced himself as he scrawled his name, upside down from where he stood, on the paper table cloth. "What can I get you guys started with tonight?"

"Oh, uhm," Edward stammered, having not really looked at the menu, and somewhat unsettled by the look he was getting from the waiter. He was being less subtle than the hostess and it was freaking him out a little bit. He glanced at Bella, and flushed slightly, watching her bite her lip to keep from laughing, he assumed. "I'll have the chicken parmesan," he decided after glancing down quickly at the menu.

"And for you?" Joel turned to Bella finally.

"Just some more water, thanks," she answered calmly.

Joel snapped his pad shut and gathered the menus from their outstretched hands, lingering slightly over Edward's. When he stepped away, Bella burst out in giggles and Edward felt his ears go red in embarrassment.

"Twice in one night, Edward?" She teased.

"Shut it," he said darkly, fighting a smile. He was surprised at how easy it seemed to be around her for all the dancing around they'd done for the last six weeks or so. He'd been irritable and anxious that morning thanks to Newton's antics on the bus and in the hotel (not that he could really blame the boy for snoring, but he could have warned them to bring earplugs or something), and it hadn't been until he'd seen Bella that he'd been able to get a grasp on his mood and calm down and focus. "You're not eating?"

Bella shook her head. "I had a big lunch."

Edward arched an eyebrow in disbelief. "Bigger than what you normally have?"

Bella met his gaze, her eyes a dark gold, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. "Yes."

"Sure," he said softly, dropping her gaze and studying the table cloth in front of him. He reached for the small can of crayons and started doodling idly. "Cause, you know, you eat so much every day," he snarked, for once aware that he sounded his age.

Bella reached across the table and brushed her fingertips across the back of his hand, leaving behind a trail of cold heat. "Not here, Edward." Her hands disappeared from his sight.

He finally looked up and her eyes were soft, but still that dark gold color. He'd learned over time that the darker her eyes, the more temperamental she could be, so he let it go. "Alright," he agreed with a nod, continuing to idly draw. It took him a few minutes to realize that he'd drawn out a staff and treble clef and was filling in notes.

"Are you looking forward to the concert tonight?" Bella asked after a moment of silence.

Edward looked up and saw that she was also doodling on the paper, rolling hills with flowers, he saw. "Yes, I am. It's exciting to play, but I'm also looking forward to hearing the university band play."

"Are you playing the same set?"

Edward shook his head. "Not quite. We've got a different opener, but we're playing the last two. I'll get to have some time with the guest artist on the second chart, which will be fun." He grinned. "It's a nice opportunity for me."

Bella looked thoughtful for a moment. "Why don't you go to one of those creative arts schools? I mean –" she ducked her head again, which Edward read as a sign of embarrassment or anxiety. "You're really talented, and seem to enjoy music, so I thought maybe…" she trailed off.

Edward smiled and switched crayons. "It's alright," he assures her. "We looked into one when we moved out here, but I decided that no matter how much I loved music, I wanted to continue to love it, and so it would remain something I did for me, not in preparation for a career. My parents accepted that and haven't pushed me too hard. If it happens in college or whatever, I'll think about it, but mostly I was to just be able to play for the joy of it, and not grow to despise it later in life." He looked up into Bella's eyes.

She was smiling softly. "That's actually a pretty good reason," she said quietly. "Not quite what I had expected."

"No?" Edward grinned.

She shook her head. "I thought something more of wanting a normal high school experience, or just playing to please mom and dad, or something silly and adolescent like that. You often say things I don't expect."

Edward chuckled softly, clearing his crayons away as he sensed a presence behind him and Joel appeared. "So do you, Bella," he said as his plate was slid in front of him.

"Anything else I can get either of you?" Joel's chances for a tip went up slightly by openly acknowledging Bella's presence this time.

"I'm fine," Bella answered, winking at Edward, who just shook his head. "Thanks."

"So," Edward said, unwrapping his silverware. "How've you been? We haven't talked much lately," he asked, giving Bella the chance to speak while he was eating. He knew the talking thing was partially his fault, especially in the last week, but he'd missed their little conversations in biology. He noticed a light furrow to her brow but it was gone in a moment. "Saved anyone else from being crushed by a tree?"

Bella laughed. "No. That was a one time thing."

Edward didn't believe it, but let it pass as he looked down at his plate of delicious cheese and sauce smothered fried chicken. His mom didn't let him eat things like that often, so when he had the chance, he indulged. "What was that back there, with Newton?" he asked finally.

"Eat," Bella said, nodding at his plate."I'll talk."

Edward quickly twirled some spaghetti onto his fork and took a bite.

"I really did try to stay away from you," Bella explained softly. "It's not good for either of us to get caught up with each other, but I couldn't help it, it seems." She paused, toying with her napkin. "I feel very drawn to you," she continued after a moment. "Something about you just makes me feel – whole. Comfortable."

Edward found himself nodding. It was the same thing he felt when he was around her, like no matter what else he was dealing with, he'd be alright. He took a bite of chicken.

"But with it has also come this fierce sense of protectiveness I feel when I'm around you. It makes me anxious when I can't see you, when I don't know if you're alright," she admitted in a quiet voice.

"Me too," Edward answered. "I feel safe with you, like I've come home, and I feel almost twitchy sometimes, when I'm not around you."

Bella dropped her head into her hands. "Oh, this is bad," she whispered.

Edward reached out to touch her wrist, barely passing his fingers over her skin before she flinched back, tucking her hands into her lap and letting her hair fall around her face. "Why is it so bad, that we feel the same thing?"

"It's one thing for me to be miserable," Bella said, looking up. "It's something else entirely to drag you down with me."

Edward shook his head, laying down his fork and knife. "I'm not miserable, Bella," he said softly, smiling a bit when she looked up again. "The last couple months have been good, in a kind of confusing topsy-turvy way, but I'm not miserable."

Bella sighed. "Not now, but-"

"Bella." Edward waited until she lifted her head again, and he looked straight into her topaz eyes. "What's the harm in trying? Who's to say we can't try to be happy?"

Bella muttered something that sounded like 'damn pixie' and combed her fingers through her loose hair. "Eat, Edward," she reminded gently. She sighed again. "And to more directly answer your question, I sometimes have issues with my temper, and Mike had tried the last of my patience for today. He clearly wanted to start something again and I didn't want to cause a scene there in the lobby."

Edward took another bite to appease her, and she kept speaking.

"I was the one that brought the bag incident to Mr. Hall's attention," she continued. "I didn't think he should get away with it, and it wasn't until I introduced myself that the pieces all slid into place, I think." She smiles softly. "So when I heard him blaming you for his own stupidity before the awards ceremony, and then approach you _again_ when you'd clearly told him to leave you alone, I wanted to snap his fingers or something," she admitted shyly. "Thankfully, he's a big a coward as he is an annoying pain in the ass, and it didn't take much."

He chuckled softly. "Yeah, that's pretty much Newton. He's full of hot air for the most part. Still, it's not the first time he's done something like that, and now that I've pissed him off, excuse the language, I guess I should see about finding another room for tonight." He sighed, taking another bite of the excellent chicken. "I don't think he'd try anything else tonight, but I'm not sure I should risk it, especially now that I think I know what happened to my contacts." When he'd woken in the morning, he found the case on the bathroom floor, cracked, like it'd been stepped on.

"You're rooming together?" Bella asked, apparently surprised by that revelation.

Edward nodded. "We're four to a room, and I got stuck with him and two freshmen. He snores," he said with shudder. "I didn't get much sleep last night with that and the fact that teenage boys apparently cannot share a bed without it being construed as a homosexual act and I was stuck in a sleeping bag while in a perfectly good hotel," he grumped, finishing his chicken.

Bella laughed quietly. "You can stay with me, if you'd like," she offered quietly, seeming almost surprised by the offer, yet not retracting it.

"Are you sure?" Edward _was_ surprised at the invitation. Just minutes before she'd been saying that they should try to stay away from each other.

Bella frowned for a brief moment then nodded, flashing him a brilliant smile that lit up her entire face. "If I'm going to go to hell, I may as well do so thoroughly."

Edward returned the smile. "Alright. Yes, then. Anything to avoid another night with Newton." And he was a bit anxious about what else Newton might try to pull. He had a feeling things might get a bit more difficult when they got back to school.

"Anything else I can get for you?" Joel returned, slipping the bill onto the table.

"No, I'm good, thank you," Edward answered, and Joel nodded and stepped away. Edward slipped a few bills inside. "Ready to head back?"

Bella nodded and rose, and they both tugged their messenger bags on over their shoulders. "So," Edward said as they made their way back to campus. "We're not there anymore." He smirked. She _had_ said.

She shook her head. "Later? Please, it's not –" she sighed and took another deep breath. "Not something we should just discuss on the street."

Edward supposed he could understand that. "Okay."

"Thank you."

They walked the rest of the way back to campus in a companionable silence. They paused at the auditorium. "I have to go meet Mr. Hall and the group," Edward said. "I'll find you after?"

Bella nodded. "I'll wait in the foyer, if I don't see you inside."

"Okay." Edward was strangely hesitant to leave. He sighed quietly, brushed his fingers lightly against her hand, once again getting that strange mixed sensation of fire and ice, and stepped away.

"Edward?"

He turned back around, and she was still standing there, not having moved. She smiled suddenly, a fantastic gorgeous smile that lit up her entire face. "Break a leg," she said softly.

Edward returned the bright smile and nodded. "I will."

Inside the old music building was quite a bit of chaos. Edward found the Forks High band in the second room he looked, which wasn't the room they'd been in earlier. Thankfully, he was still a few minutes early so he had time to sift through the thoughts his conversation with Bella had brought up before pushing them aside so he could focus on the performance. He hadn't expected her to return his feelings, not that he'd figured out what his own feelings were. All Edward knew was that he felt better when he was around her than he did without her. He had spent the last several weeks wanting to get to know her better, and after dancing around each other, it seemed like he would finally get his chance.

As the rest of the band poured into the room, Edward shifted his focus to the upcoming performance. They were playing second after the Junior High band, and Mr. Hall had decided to replace their opening chart with their closing chart, and close with the opener so the guest artist could have more solo space. Edward tried not to gloat over his fortune in keeping his solo in the middle piece and Newton losing his, but he decided he just didn't have it in him to be that good a person toward Mike Newton anymore. Especially since he knew Newton would end up with the bed to himself by forcing the two freshman together when Edward didn't stay in the room, which meant Edward was actually doing him a favor.

Damn.

Mr. Hall called for their attention, wrenching Edward from his thoughts. They were walked through their set one more time and Edward sat quietly, mentally reviewing his music until one of the stage hands came to fetch them for their turn on stage.

The concert passed quickly, and Edward honestly had fun performing. The guest artist was something of a comedian and he was goofing around with the band and just made the evening much less stressful than it needed to be. During the extended solo that Newton had been forced to give up, Edward found himself easily backing up the guest artist and they slid into an easy back and forth that went on slightly longer than Mr. Hall had planned, but when Edward tried to apologize after the concert he was clapped on the shoulder and told to keep it up, and complimented on his style.

Edward took it all humbly, though he was quite pleased with himself and couldn't help but smile as he re-entered the auditorium looking for Bella. He quickly looked over the audience, but didn't see her dark hair or pale skin amongst the crowd until he looked up to the balcony. She was in the front row, reading something that Edward couldn't see from just in front of the stage, but she looked up as if she knew she were being watched. He grinned as he met her gaze and found his way up to the second level.

He slipped into the empty seat next to her. "Hi."

"Hello," she answered quietly. "That was a fantastic set. You looked like you were having so much fun up there."

Edward beamed. "I was. I haven't had a chance to trade solo space with someone of that caliber in a while. I mean, the guys in the band are really great and all," he said in a rush, flushing slightly as he realized how that had sounded. "but to get to play with a professional like that, it'll be awhile until anything lives up to the experience."

Bella's eyes sparkled a bit as she looked at him. "It's alright. You're allowed to be a bit chuffed with yourself."

Edward grinned at her teasing and he had to admit to himself that he was still practically vibrating in his seat. She laughed softly and he soaked up the sound, the musical quality and the sheer happiness the sound embodied adding to his overall mood and he smiled just a bit more.

They fell into an easy silence as the hall settled when the University Jazz Ensemble filed on stage in khaki and blue button up shirts. The band quickly tuned to the piano and the lights in hall dimmed before the band director, a tall, silver haired man in a dark suit and yellow tie stepped on stage to a thunder of applause. He didn't speak, just kicked off the tune and the band produced a wall of sound that filled the auditorium. It was an upbeat piece with a few short solos featuring a several members of the band that quickly came to a close with the same intensity of sound as it began.

Throughout it all, Edward felt an incredible amount of tension between him and Bella. He was careful to keep his arms inside the confines of his own seat, and he noticed that she did the same, neither of them using the arm rests. Despite the distance between them, there seemed to be a barely perceptible electricity running between their bodies and Edward ached to take her hand to relieve some of the tension. He'd just decided to let his hand snake onto the arm rest when the piece came to a blaring end and the tension was broken.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the University Jazz Ensemble!" The director called out, gesturing to the band, who rose for a moment, before taking their seats again. He proceeded to welcome everyone once again and called for another round of applause for Forks High and the local Jr. High bands. When the applause quieted, the director spoke once again, introducing the guest artist by giving a brief rundown of his accomplishments before welcoming him onto the stage. The house roared in applause again and the guest artist kicked off the next tune, another lively piece, though not as intense as the previous one.

The tension grew between Edward and Bella once again, and as the solo continued, Edward found he couldn't stand it any longer and he slowly moved his hand from his lap to the arm rest between their seats, brushing his sleeve against hers as he rested his hand palm up, letting her make the next move, though it didn't dampen the tension any less. Edward swore he could almost see the current flowing between them in the darkened auditorium before he turned his gaze back to the stage.

After a moment a jolt went through him and his hand was enveloping something cool and hard. He looked down to see Bella's hand entwined with his, and he glanced over at her, smiling softly. Absently he ran his thumb over the back of her hand in rhythm with the music, and they sat that way quietly, until the set was finished and the concert was over.

Bella withdrew her hand when the lights came up, and it was only then that Edward noticed how chilled his hand had become. He didn't mind, though, because for that forty-five minutes, he'd felt more at peace than he'd ever felt possible. The contact had just seemed right, and once it was broken, he missed it.

"So," he started quietly as they began to file out of their seats toward the exits. "About tonight."

Bella looked at him, her bottom lip caught between her teeth and Edward nearly stopped walking at the sight. She was gorgeous. "Yes?"

"Where are you staying? I have to take the bus back with the rest and be there for bed-check at 11," he explained.

"I'm at the Holiday Inn Express," Bella said, "Over by the Costco?"

Edward nodded. "Perfect. That's where we're staying." He smiled at the soft smile she gave him. "So, after bed-check, I could come up and we can talk?" He hadn't forgotten that she'd promised to talk to him about things at some point, and Edward really wanted to get some sleep, even if he'd have to be back in his room before the wake up call for another head count before making the trip back to Forks after breakfast.

"I'm in room 335," Bella answered as they made their way down the stairs side by side. "Come up whenever you're ready." Edward thought there was a bit of reluctance in her tone.

"I won't wake you?" They crossed the foyer and Edward could swear everyone was looking at the two of them together and could practically feel the eyes on him. From Bella's demeanor, which had suddenly shifted, he thought maybe she had sensed it too.

She laughed quietly. "No. You won't wake me, Edward."

"Alright." Edward agreed. "Thanks for another rescue." He smiled.

Bella laughed again. "Anytime."

They joined the stream of people leaving the building and eventually found themselves outside, walking side by side to the large fountain by the parking lot. Edward saw a good chunk of the band already gathered together with Mr. Hall attempting to keep everyone fairly organized while he waited for the stragglers so they could get on the bus together.

"This is me," Edward nodded to the group.

"Alright. I'll see you later." Bella smiled once more and headed off in another direction.

Edward joined the loose knot of his peers, doing his own quick headcount to see that they were missing three; Newton and two of his cronies. Figured. They were probably up to something else, though Edward would have thought that the week's detention he'd already earned would warn him off doing anything else.

An extremely grumpy Mr. Hall and ten minutes later everyone was assembled and staggering onto the bus. It had been a long day, and for the most part, conversation was quiet on the ride back to the hotel and Edward found himself drowsing, eyes half closed, going over the day in his mind. It had been more than he'd expected, in several ways.

His thoughts were interrupted as they arrived and Mr. Hall made his announcements about bed-check and check-out in the morning. With that, they trooped off the bus after gathering their personal items and made their way inside. Edward felt himself winding down while several of his classmates were clearly re-energized by the prospect of a night in a hotel with limited chaperones (there were three band parents along for the trip that had their own cars). Edward wasn't worried about slipping out to see Bella. They were a good group of students and he didn't think that the chaperones would resort to the masking tape on the door trick. Even if they did, he planned on being back in his room early enough to not get caught.

"So you and Swan?" Newton asked Edward when he entered their room.

Edward shrugged, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. "We're friends."

Newton rolled his eyes. "Right."

"Whatever," Edward muttered with a shake of his head. He tuned out Newton, who gave up on Edward and turned to picking on the freshmen instead, gathered his toiletries and took over the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and gave his face a good scrub, then changed into his pajamas, worn flannel pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. He preferred to sleep in his boxers, but given his roommate situation, he was willing to make concessions to keep everyone comfortable.

Newton had taken over one of the king sized beds and was surfing through the channels on the TV while the two freshmen cowered slightly on the other, a deck of cards between them. Edward ignored them all, pulled a book from his messenger back and curled his lanky frame into the not-quite-comfortable arm chair and settled in to read until bed-check.


	11. Chapter 11

Bella drove around Salem for awhile after the concert, not quite ready to return to the hotel and trying to decide if she needed to hunt. Since she had hunted the evening before, she decided she would be alright and Edward (and herself) would be safe. Besides, she had practically gorged herself in preparation of being around so many people, and she wasn't sure that even 24 hours later she could drink any more.

After an hour of driving around she returned to the hotel, finding it was still at least an hour before she could expect Edward. She was both apprehensive and excited about what he wanted to speak about. She knew he knew her family's secret, which was dangerous for them both. Vampires only had two laws to live by – don't interfere with someone's mate, and never reveal your existence to humans. The Cullens lived on the fringe of the second everyday. Their lifestyle allowed them to act human and interact in society for which Bella was grateful. She'd lived the nomadic life and didn't care for it. She needed to be around people, either human or vampire, for her own sanity. But they were always careful, taking precautions and moving on before anyone could become suspicious of their lack of aging.

But it was why they held themselves apart. They tried to blend in, but didn't make friends for everyone's sake. Which was why Bella found Emmett's friendship with Edward a bit odd. Emmett had always shied away from group projects, never wanting to get involved if he could help it. So it had to be something about Edward, rather than Emmett, that had prompted the friendship.

While she mused, Bella drew a bath, letting the water run as hot as it could. She laid out comfortable lounge clothes – yoga pants and a tank top, and carried her iPod into the bathroom after pulling her hair up into a messy knot on top of her head. She shut off the lights and the water and sank into the tub with a sigh, feeling her skin warm at the water's touch. She lay back and drifted with the music, contemplating Edward and her family.

Alice liked him, though Bella wasn't sure they'd ever really met, despite sharing a class. But Bella didn't know how much Alice had really seen, so she'd just have to continue to follow her instincts and not bet against her pixie-sister. Rosalie was mostly indifferent, worried about the family, but Bella knew she liked Emmett having another guy friend. Jasper was great, and he and Emmett were like brothers, but their shared love of video games only got them so far. Part of it, Bella knew, was their different ages. Jasper had been a soldier, was quiet and reserved and liked to observe and study. Emmett was a child of the depression and lived very much in the moment. She could count on both of them for advise and hugs, but she went to Jasper for philosophical debates and Emmett for a prank war or entertainment of other kinds. They were a family, with different strengths and interests, no matter how unconventional a family of vampires could be.

Esme and Carlisle would accept whatever decision Bella would make regarding Edward. Intellectually, she knew there was only one real solution to both 'problems.' He would have to be changed, eventually. The only way Bella could guarantee she'd not kill him was to have him join the family, and if the Volturi every found out that a human knew and they let him live, it would bring the ruling vampires wrath down on the family, and Bella couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't the reason her family as put in danger.

But even though she knew what she'd have to do eventually, she knew there was time. The Volturi didn't venture out of Italy and she would know when other vampires crossed their path and if they were risk of expose. She believed Alice when she said Edward could be trusted. So she had time yet, to figure things out. She'd not see him changed unless he agreed, and she'd not have him be left to wander the world alone. She wouldn't have him changed to assuage her blood lust for him – she'd done enough already in her life that her conscience couldn't handle that. And truly, Bella wasn't sure how she felt about the boy.

She was attracted to him, of course, both by his blood and his physical appearance. She felt protective of him, needing to know he was safe and felt oddly bereft when she didn't see him. But she barley _knew_ him. She didn't know about his childhood, or his favorite food, or what gave him nightmares. She knew he was intelligent, liked music, drove a Volvo and disliked Mike Newton. But it wasn't quite enough.

The water had cooled dramatically and Bella finally pulled the stopper on the tub when her body temperature returned to normal. She dried herself quickly, changed, and settled at the food of the bed, feet tucked under her, to watch the first few minutes of Saturday Night Live. The show wasn't as great as she remembered from years past, but it was getting better after a lull, even if the best parts were still the opening sequence and the Weekend Update. She muted the TV after the guest's monologue and retrieved a new book from her duffle bag. Though she'd 'lived' through the Second World War (and reprised her role as a nurse at a VA hospital with Carlisle) she still enjoyed reading other perspective on it. Jasper, her fellow history buff, had recommended the book to her, and she'd brought it along to fill the empty evening. After Alice had cancelled, Bella'd almost forgone the hotel, but she was glad she hadn't since it meant spending time with Edward, and not roaming around Portland waiting for the shops to open on Sunday morning.

She was three chapters in and had grabbed the hotel stationary to make notes on all the authors flawed assumptions and findings (she wondered if _that _was why Jasper had recommended it), when there was a knock on her door. She closed the notepad in the book to mark her place and crossed to the door.

"Hi, Edward," she greeted, stepping back and letting him through, throwing the privacy lock as was her habit.

"Hey," Edward answered, his voice low and rough like he'd been sleeping. Bella glanced at the clock – it was after 2 am.

They stood awkwardly in the middle of the room before Bella shook herself loose. "Have a seat." She waved him toward the bed. She took the armchair by the window and climbed into it, pulling her knee s to her chest and wrapping one arm around them. Edward seemed to hesitate a moment before toeing off his shoes and taking a seat on the edge of the bed facing her, one foot tucked under his body, the other swinging against the edge of the mattress. He looked young suddenly to Bella, in worn flannel and a t-shirt, looking for all the world like he was about to he scolded by his parents for stealing a cookie before dinner (and where, she wondered, did that image come from?).

"I know what you are," Edward blurted suddenly and Bella couldn't help but giggle quietly at the absurdity of it. But she gathered herself and looked at him quietly, silently asking him to continue.

"I'm not sure I actually believe, it," he continued more softly. "I always thought it was a religious myth, something to keep the faithful in church as a way to write about issues like sex and lust in Victorian times or whatever." He sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair. "You're a vampire?"

Bella nodded slowly.

Edward let out a huge gust of air. "That's why I've never seen you eat lunch?"

Bella nodded again, a smile playing at her lips. She was surprised he hadn't run screaming.

"That's why you don't come to school on sunny days. Burst into flames?"

Bella let the smile go and laughed softly. "Yes, but no. That's a myth. I can't go out in sunlight, but it doesn't hurt me." Well, close enough.

"Holy water?"

"Myth."

"Turn into a bat?"

"Just the one vampire," she clarified. Edward stared at her wide eyed and she laughed.

"Sleep in a coffin?"

She shook her head. "We don't sleep."

"What, like ever?"

"Nope. Vampires don't sleep."

Edward just nodded slowly, looking down at his hands folded in his lap. "How old are you?"

Bella smiled softly. "Seventeen."

He just stared at her.

"I was born in 1875, in Boston," she said quietly. "September 13," she answered, anticipating his next question. When he didn't speak again for a few minutes, Bella spoke up. "You've not asked the most important question."

Edward looked up from his hands again, a curious look in his eye.

"About our diet?" Bella prompted.

"Oh. That." Edward was quiet. "You won't hurt me."

Bella was both troubled and amused by his response. Troubled because he didn't seem to understand how serious it was, amused because he was _right_. "Oh?" She echoed him. "How are you so accepting of this?" She asked him, honestly curious.

He shrugged. "I told you, I feel safe with you."

"You really shouldn't," Bella said sadly, wondering if there really was something wrong with his sense of self-preservation.

His answer was interrupted by a huge yawn that he hid behind a hand. "Billy Black said you don't feed from people."

So that's how he'd figured it out. Emmett must not have gone to class that day, for one of the tribal elders to have been so free with the story. But then, Bella knew, Black didn't really believe them, for as influential as his own father had been in negotiating the treaty between her family and the tribe. "We try very hard not to," she said softly.

Edward's smile was small and crooked. "Is it hard for you? To be around me, I mean?" He asked.

"Yes. But it's getting easier," she admitted quietly. Her soft smile turned somewhat morose. "You smell too good for your own well being."

Edward's smile slipped, and Bella could see that for the first time, he was actually taking this seriously. That realization put Bella somewhat at ease. "You mean you want-"

Bella nodded. "It's easier now, that I've gotten to know you. And the more time I spend with you, the easier it becomes to resist." She briefly thought about telling him about the other part of her resistance, but decided for the moment, it was better to not let him think he was completely safe with her.

Edward shifted on the bed, moving the pillows behind him and sitting up against the headboard, his bare feet tucked under the edge of the bedding. "Is that why you tried so hard to stay away from me?"

"For both of us," Bella agreed with a nod. "Just because we try not to feed from people doesn't mean we always succeed, or that the need isn't always there. It's not safe for _you _to be around me."

Edward sat quietly for a moment and she could see him processing. "You skipped the day we did the blood testing in class."

Bella nodded. "Avoiding temptation. Though it almost would have been worth it to watch Newton's reaction first hand," she teased.

Edward laughed lowly. "That explains Emmett's reaction in the hall," he said, and Bella thought he was talking more to himself than to her. "We walked to Spanish together," he explained, "and he got really weird when I was cleaning blood off my finger from the lancet poke."

Bella held his gaze and nodded slowly.

Edward let out another long sigh, punctuated by a yawn. "When you guys skip school, where do you go?"

Bella watched as he unconsciously started to slide down in the bed after his body gave a shiver. He was close to falling asleep mid-conversation. "It depends on what the weather is like other places. Sometimes Alice will drag me to New York or Chicago or Los Angeles to go shopping. Sometimes I just go hunting with Emmett, or stay home and debate with Jasper. Sometimes we go out as a family. We just try to stay out of the public eye on those days."

"Why?" He yawned again, his eyes drooping closed as he sagged down into the mattress.

"Another time, Edward," she said gently, glancing at the clock. They'd been talking for over an hour. "Get some sleep. What time do you have to be back in your room?" Bella untangled her limbs and rose smoothly, retrieving her book from where it laid on the bed near Edward.

"Six." He yawned again and she saw another shiver run through him. She wasn't sure if it was her proximity or his body shutting down for sleep.

"I'll wake you." She shut off the lights while Edward settled himself in for the night, leaving just the one small light on over her chair so she could read. She didn't really need it, but it was comforting. His glasses made a quiet sound as he placed them on the nightstand next to the bed.

He didn't answer and within a minute his breathing and heartbeat had slowed and Bella knew he was asleep. The next few hours passed quickly, her book and Edward's soft snores keeping her company. Try as she might, she couldn't help but watch Edward sleep for long stretches of time. He was a quiet sleeper, other than the snoring; she didn't think he moved three times in his sleep and even those shifts weren't much. He looked peaceful in sleep, and Bella forced herself to go back to her book and stop being an awkward yet creepy stalker.

The sun hadn't begun to lighten the sky when the clock on the table clicked over to 6 am. Bella set her book aside again, having nearly filled the notepad with criticism and rose from the chair, managing to trip over herself once she was upright. She crossed to the bed and perched lightly on the edge of the mattress.

Edward was slightly curled up on one side, one hand tucked under his head, the other resting across his chest. Bella grasped his shoulder gently and gave him a light shake while she called his name. It took a few tries but he eventually stirred and she sat back as he blinked his eyes open and yawned.

"Good morning," she said, after he'd peered around blearily and reached for his glasses.

"Morning," he said, voice low and thick with sleep. He sat up and stretched, his shirt rising a bit, giving Bella a glimpse of toned abs and a dusting of dark hair disappearing under the waistband of his sleep pants.

They sat awkwardly for a few moments before Edward stirred again, shifting under the blankets and moving toward the edge of the bed. He sat there for a moment, rubbing his hands over his face before getting to his feet. "I should go, before they start checking beds again." he said quietly. "Thanks for letting me crash here last night."

Bella nodded. "No problem. I wasn't going to use the bed anyway," she teased lightly, and was relieved to find that he grinned. As much as she'd thought he'd freak out on her in light of the truth, she was rather glad that he hadn't, and that the conversation hadn't scared him off. She had a feeling he was also thanking her for more than the bed – he didn't really get all that much sleep.

"I have to ride back with the others in the bus," he said as he stepped into his shoes. "And I'd like to see you tonight, but I'm going to have to catch up on homework."

"It's alright," Bella responded. She wanted to see him, too, to continue their conversation, and because she never wanted to let him out of her sighed. "Call me, and we can figure something out."

Edward nodded. He started to move toward the door and paused, turning back to Bella. Silently, he stepped closer to where she was still seated on the bed. She stayed very still as he reached out, tucking a length of her hair behind her ear and smoothing his thumb over her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed and she held her breath as he leaned closer and brushed his lips over her cheek, lingering for a moment before brushing against her temple as well. She could feel him breathing her in, and she'd never felt anything so sensual in her life. Her left hand went to his hips and she barely remembered to keep her touch light as she clung to him slightly. Her right hand drifted over his t-shirt and rested on his chest, feeling his heartbeat reverberate through her palm.

"I'll call you," he whispered, still pressed against her. He gave her another brief nuzzle and stepped away slowly, almost as if he didn't want to, and Bella released him. She followed him across the room with her eyes and didn't release her breath until the door had closed behind him.

Something had definitely changed between them. Bella'd be lying if she said she hadn't noticed the connection between them at the concert the evening before. There had literally been sparks flying between them before they'd touched, and once Bella's hand had been in Edward's everything had just seemed right. She'd felt _whole_, and Alice help her, happy. She just felt right with him, and it still scared her.

She'd never felt that way with anyone. She'd spent 20 years with James and never felt the connection she had with Edward. Bella snorted. It figured. After nearly a hundred years alone, she finally fell in love, and it was with a human.

The thought stopped her in her tracks.

Was she truly in love with the boy?

She fell back onto the bed. She knew she couldn't be without him, that he was far too involved in her life already. Not only did he know her secret, but she couldn't possibly fathom living without him.

If it wasn't for the way he'd said goodbye, Bella would think that he couldn't possibly feel the same about her. But every word and every move of his body had rung with sincerity.

Part of Bella rejoiced at finally finding someone that made her feel whole and happy, and part of her just felt sick at knowing she would bring darkness to his life by her mere presence. The only thing for it, she supposed, was to just have it out and tell him her past and let him decide if she was worth it. She wasn't, and figured that he'd come to his senses after that, and she could let him go. She'd leave Forks and her family until he graduated and they moved on again.

Her phone rang, interrupting her musings. She reached for it on the nightstand, glancing at the display. Alice. She'd meant to call Jasper back the previous evening and had forgotten.

"Hi, Alice," Bella answered.

"You were going to call last night, but I saw things went alright," Alice said easily. "They did, didn't they?"

Bella laughed softly. "Yes, Alice. I'm a bit worried about his sanity, but everything went fine."

"What do you mean?"

"He took everything so easily. It was unnatural." Bella sat up and placed her feet flat on the bed, pulling her knees to her chest again. She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder and scooted back to rest against the headboard, enveloping herself with Edward's scent on the pillows and sheets.

"We've talked about that," Alice said. "He's perceptive. He has to know you won't hurt him. Did you tell him why?"

"No." Bella pulled a bit of hair over her shoulder and played with the end. "Just that we tried to stay away from human blood. I didn't tell him about my aversion."

"Why not!?"

Bella winced at the volume. "Because I wanted him to realize how dangerous this is, Alice," she said firmly. "I wanted it to be completely clear to him what he was doing and who I was." She sighed. "He already feels too safe with me, Alice. I don't want to lull him into a false sense of security with me."

"You love him."

"And shouldn't that mean that I want to keep him safe? Even from myself?" Bella realized her mistake too late.

Alice squealed. "I told you!"

Bella could hear Jasper's laugh and murmuring as he probably tried to calm Alice down. "Don't start planning anything yet, you meddlesome little pixie," Bella threatened. "We've spent a few hours talking, is all."

"Oh, Bella, I told you you'd be happy if you just let it happen," Alice said.

"Alice, you've forgotten one pretty significant detail here," Bella said quietly. "He's human."

"Psh," Alice scoffed.

"I can't just _dismiss_ that," Bella hissed.

"No, no, that's not what I meant, Bella," Alice protested quickly. "He won't be human forever."

Bella froze.

"Bella?" Alice's voice was tinged with worry.

"No." Bella was firm.

"It's going to happen, sweetheart," Alice counseled softly.

"How can you be sure?" Bella whispered. She wouldn't wish this life on anyone.

"I've seen it."

Bella knew better than to bet against Alice, but still that didn't mean she was always right. "When?"

Alice didn't respond right away.

"Alice?"

"It's unclear. I just see him as one of us, one day, and the two of you will be happy together."

Bella sighed. She still had time.

"Bella, we've got to go," Alice said softly after a beat. "We'll see you at home tonight?"

"Yeah," she answered quietly. "I'm going to stop in Portland for some shopping on the way. No, Alice," she protested with a soft laugh before Alice could interrupt and turn it into a full day excursion for more clothes that Bella didn't need. "I'm stopping at Powell's and picking up a few things for Esme at the craft store here in Salem."

Alice huffed and Bella could hear Jasper laughing quietly in the background again. "Fine. But I'm dragging you off somewhere special for a shopping day the next sunny stretch we have," she threatened.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Alright, Alice." It was better to just go with it. Resistance, against Alice at least, was futile.

"Love you!"

"You too," Bella answered before ending the call. She sat silently for a few minutes, turning Alice's revelation over and over in her head. It seemed the decision was already made for her.

Bella glanced at the clock; she had a few hours yet before the craft store opened, so after she dressed in jeans and a sweater, she retrieved her book and her iPod and curled back up on the bed, once again letting Edward's scent permeate her senses as she continued to tear apart the historical account she was reading.

She had nearly finished the book an hour later when there was a knock on her door. She frowned as she rose to answer, not expecting anyone, knowing it was too early for room service, and not sensing any danger beyond. However, as she drew closer, she could smell _him_ on the other side.

"Edward?" she asked as she opened the door, instantly worried that something was wrong. "Is everything alright?"

His bag was slung over his shoulder and he was dressed in jeans and sneakers, with a UW hoodie, and he flashed her a crooked smile as he stepped into her room. "Yeah, everything's fine. There was just something I needed to do before we leave," he said softly.

Before she could speak he stepped closer to her and gently cupped her cheek, tipping her chin up. "Edward," she breathed just before he pressed his lips to hers. His other hand slid around her neck, curling into the hair at the base of her skull and combing his fingers through it.

She gave herself over to the sensation, of the warmth of his body pressed against hers, the jolt of electricity that coursed through her at his touch, the smell of him and the sound of his heartbeat reverberating through her ears over the sound of the music still buzzing in her ears. Bella looped her arms around Edward's neck, playing with his hair in return. He moaned softly and Bella felt his mouth move on hers, and she returned the kiss before she rationally considered what she was doing. She felt the venom pool in her mouth and she swallowed it back as she was enveloped in _Edward_.

One of her hands shifted from his neck to rest on his chest, feeling his heartbeat under her palm. It felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest. She broke the kiss as he sagged slightly against her, and she brushed her lips over his cheek. "Breathe, Edward." Her arms wrapped around his waist and she tugged him just a bit closer, resting her cheek against his throat, breathing him in, finding herself quite in control, for the moment.

He drew in a shuddering breath and let it out slowly, resting his chin on top of her head as he waited for his breathing to return to normal. "Is this okay?" he asked quietly.

"More than okay," Bella answered. It was perfect, the way they fit together, the way she felt in that moment. It was also completely wrong, but Bella was struggling to tell that part of her brain to keep quiet and let her be happy.

Edward stepped back a bit, lifting her chin again. "The bus is going to leave," he said quietly, running his thumbs over her cheeks. "Your eyes have gone dark again," he murmured. "They're still gold, but darker." He kissed her again gently. "You're beautiful," he whispered.

Bella would have blushed, if she'd still been able. As it was, she ducked her head, letting her hair fall around her.

"I have to go," he said regretfully, tugging on the end of a piece of her hair gently.

"Give me your phone," Bella asked. When he handed it over she quickly typed in her number, hearing her phone ring on the opposite side of the room. She handed it back to him, her fingers lingering over his hand. "Stay away from Newton," she cautioned with a soft smile.

"Not to worry," he promised, kissing her again. "I'll call you," he said, stepping away, Bella's hand trailing over his hip as he moved away.

Bella nodded. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Bella," Edward said with a smile before letting himself out.

She stood still for a moment, her fingers drifting to trace over her lips until the beeping of her phone caught her attention and jarred her from her musings.

**1 new msg**

Bella flipped her phone open and called up the message, laughing out loud when she read it.

**its l8r**

She saved his number and sent him a quick reply.

**so it is. travel safe**

Bella began to gather her things, repacking her duffel and messenger bag. She was double checking the room when her phone beeped again.

**U2. going to sleep to avoid MN. someone kept me up all night talking ;)**

She smiled, hefted her bags, and went to check out of the hotel.

**good strategy. and someone stayed up asking questions :p **

Bella stashed her things in the back, pulling the lockable cover down over the bed to secure them, and drove the few blocks to the craft store where Esme had placed an order knowing that Bella would be in the area to retrieve it.

She got another message while the clerk was tracking down Esme's order.

**it was worth it**

Bella could picture his crooked smile in her mind and smiled herself.

**good 2 hear. how goes avoiding MN?**

The clerk returned with Esme's paints and canvases, and Bella added a stack of the sketch pads she knew Alice preferred, and some wire and beads for herself to play with. She paid for the items and accepted help getting everything into her truck. When she didn't get a reply to her last text, she figured he'd probably managed to sleep, and tucked her phone away for the drive to Portland.

Bella spent several hours in Portland, mostly in Powell's book shop. She purchased a dozen random novels and began the journey home to Forks.

It was mid-afternoon when she returned to their home on the outskirts of town. She found all but Carlisle's car in the garage when she parked her truck and returned the key to its peg on the wall. Jasper was waiting to help her carry in the day's purchases.

"Good trip?" Jasper was smiling.

Bella grinned. "You can say that."

He kissed her forehead. "Love suits you." He gathered Esme's canvas and paints, and the bag containing Alice's sketchbooks, while Bella grabbed the bags of books and draped her messenger and duffle bags on her shoulder.

Bella just smiled and carried her things to her rooms. She changed once more into comfortable clothing and set her iPod to charge on the dock, setting a classical playlist on low to fill the room. She stacked the new books on the table near her chaise and took her messenger bag into her study and sat to do the homework she needed to complete before classes resumed on Monday. She sped through it, barely taking the time to think about it. When it was finished, she tucked her phone into the pocket of her lounge pants and wandered downstairs to the video game war she could hear from her room upstairs.

Emmett and Jasper had brought the TV up from the rec room and had hooked up the PlayStation to it, while the main set in the living room was hooked up to the Nintendo 64. They were playing two games simultaneously, both of them concentrating furiously on the screens. Rosalie sat behind Emmett, reading a fashion magazine, glancing up occasionally, and Alice perched on the loveseat nearest Jasper, sketching away.

Bella flopped down next to Rose, watching the boys fight it out and reading over her sister's shoulder. She wasn't particularly interested in the magazine, but she felt like she'd been neglecting Rose lately, and by reading over her shoulder, Bella let Rose point out things that Bella would look nice in and Bella'd let her get them for her. She might even wear them.

Her phone went in her pocket, signaling another message and not the call she'd been expecting. She tried to hide her disappointment, but caught Jasper's quick look over his shoulder.

**parents demanding quality time. talk to u 2mrw?**

She sent back a quick message.

**is ok. Have fun. See you at lunch?**

Alice made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a suppressed squeal and Bella rolled her eyes.

**yes. Miss u**

Bella ducked her head and smiled softly at Jasper's quiet laugh. She felt like a giddy teenager having her first crush, and then was mortified to realize that was exactly what she was, only what she felt was much more than a crush. But it didn't solve the larger issue that she'd never done any of this before and she felt unsure of herself.

**u2 **

She tucked her phone away after that last message, not expecting another response. Bella spent the rest of the evening with her family, the boys eventually giving up on the video game war when Esme and Carlisle returned home. She sent Edward another text around midnight wishing him a good night. The family spent a rare night all together watching movies and catching up, and planning the next weeks' hunts. It was nice, and Bella'd forgotten how much she'd missed spending time with them, and realized just how much she'd been avoiding her family lately. She fought against the guilt that washed over her as she thought about how far she'd isolated herself in an effort to not be completely miserable in the presence of the couples in the house.

"Bella," Jasper whispered, sending a wave of calm serenity at her. "It's alright."

She just nodded, accepting the comfort, then gasping out loud as she was bombarded by feelings of love and affection that he must have gathered from the family and sent at her. She basked in it for a moment, until she was tackled by Emmett and drawn into a bear hug that she could feel bend her ribs.

"Missed you, baby girl," he whispered to her and let her go after a smacking kiss to her cheek, tugging Rose up out of the couch and leading her upstairs to their room.

Carlisle excused himself to his study, and Esme soon followed, disappearing to their bedroom, but not before giving Bella a more gentle hug. "It's good to have you back, dear. He'll be good for you, I think." She kissed Bella's forehead and gave her a knowing look before she went upstairs.

Bella soon followed, leaving Jasper and Alice alone downstairs as she spent the early morning hours on her chaise in quiet thought.


	12. Chapter 12

**[note: Edward and Bella are a bit more openly affectionate than in canon. Bella has more control and Edward's a human male. This is also Edward's POV – in the next chapter we'll see how Bella reacts to the physicality of their relationship.]**

The bus trip back to Forks was thankfully uneventful. Edward had boarded the bus with what he was sure was a sappy smile on his face, and it had only slipped long enough for him to glare at Newton when he looked like he was going to question Edward yet again. Once they were on the road and he'd texted Bella, he'd put on his headphones and drifted into a light sleep for most of the journey, content to relive the kiss in his head.

He hadn't meant to pounce on her that way, but as they were making sure they had their bags and Mr. Hall was checking out of the hotel, he had realized he couldn't just leave that way and not see her for a day. So he'd done the only thing he could which was to tell one of the chaperones that he'd left something in his room and ran up the three flights of stairs to Bella's room. It had been so right, so perfect that he'd forgotten that he'd needed to breathe. And then he'd realized what he'd done, thrown himself at her when she was unprepared, but Bella seemed okay with it, and Edward felt perfectly safe in her arms. He felt like he'd come home in that instant.

His parents were home when he arrived, and they insisted on dragging him off to Port Angeles for dinner and a showing at a gallery for one of his mother's friends. Despite the homework he still faced, he went, but not before texting Bella once more and letting her know he wouldn't be calling her. He was disappointed in not being able to speak to her, but he also wasn't ready to let his parents that he'd met his soul mate.

And that thought had brought him up short. Thankfully, his parents had wandered off at that moment to greet the artist, leaving Edward to himself for the moment. He fell into a folding chair against the wall and ran his hand through his hair. Did he really believe that she was his soul mate? A month ago if someone had asked he wasn't sure he could say he'd even believed in such a thing, and there he was thinking he'd found that very thing.

His soul mate was a vampire.

It didn't matter. He loved her. She made him feel whole. The rest, he had to believe, would sort itself out.

Edward ended up driving his parents home from Port Angeles, trying very hard to not use the rearview mirror any more often than he had to, because no teenager should be forced to watch their parents make out. It was after 9 when they returned home, and Edward hunkered down to get his homework done before it got to be too late.

When he emerged from the shower, his phone beeped with a new message. He stepped into a clean pair of boxers before grabbing his phone from the desk and reading the note from Bella wishing him pleasant dreams. He smiled and saved the message before he fell into bed and did just that.

Monday morning dawned overcast and drizzling as usual for Forks. Edward dressed in jeans, a long sleeved green t-shirt and a black sweater before meeting his mom downstairs for breakfast. They chatted over nothing of consequence as Edward bolted a bowl of cereal, juice, and toast and his mom had her coffee and bagel.

"Have a good day, sweetheart!" Edward heard his mom call as he left for zero hour. Despite the weekend concert, Mr. Hall insisted that they still meet at the regular time on Monday to review their performances and talk about the upcoming events. Edward, though, was focused on other things entirely as he parked his Volvo in the regular spot. Mostly he was thinking about seeing Bella again, and compiling a list of questions he wanted to ask her.

As he arrived at school, the decorations finally reminded him that Valentine's Day was soon – Thursday, he discovered after consulting his watch for the date. He wasn't sure if he should plan anything or not. What do you do for Valentine's Day, he asked himself, when your sweetheart is a vampire who doesn't eat, and has been your sweetheart for only a couple days? He still had time to figure it out, and he made a mental note to come up with a full plan that evening when an idea started forming in the back of his head.

The rest of the morning passed fairly quickly, and Edward ignored the little knowing looks Emmett shot him in the halls between classes. Even Newton's attitude couldn't really impact the bubble Edward had built around himself for the day. Lunch came around quickly enough and Edward stood impatiently in line to purchase his sandwich and an orange, then held up the line of emerging students as he glanced around looking for Bella, finding her at a table on her own in the corner, waiting, looking straight at him, an untouched tray of food in front of her.

She looked gorgeous as always, her hair down, but held out of her face by a blue ribbon that matched the long sleeved blouse she wore. Her legs were bare under the table, a pair of low black heels with a peep-toe crossed at the ankles not quite half-way under the table. She was wearing the cross she seemed to favor (which Edward found amusingly ironic), and she was idly twirling a small silver ring around her left pinky finger.

"Hello, Bella," he greeted her, setting his tray down and sliding into the seat across from her.

"Edward." She smiled at him.

He glanced casually around the cafeteria. Newton was shooting dirty looks in their direction, and Bella's family looked an odd mix of amused and bored while looking back, though Alice gave him a little wave and bounced slightly before Jasper dropped his arm over her shoulder and gave Edward a nod of recognition. Edward returned the nod and turned back to Bella, who was still smiling softly. "Your family isn't upset that you're not sitting with them?"

Bella shook her head. "They're actually pretty happy for me," she said quietly, ducking her head slightly. "Alice is excited to meet you properly."

Edward felt his eyebrows raise in curiosity. "We have a class together."

Bella nodded, reaching for the apple on her plate and toying with it, rolling it between her palms. "Yeah, but she's never _really_ met you," she explained. "There's apparently protocol."

Edward laughed. "I see." He unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite, Bella watching him without trying to look like she was watching him. "What happens if you eat human food?" he asked softly after he swallowed.

Bella rolled her eyes and took a bite of the apple she was toying with, grimacing as she did. Edward watched as she chewed twice and swallowed harshly, making a face. "I can, I just don't, unless I have to." She put the apple down.

"It doesn't taste good?" Edward reached for her apple and took a bite from the opposite side. It tasted fine to him.

Bella frowned a bit. "When we change, our senses change also. We become more – animalistic- I suppose. Things that appeal to humans no longer really appeal to us." Bella wrinkled her nose again. "It doesn't smell very good, but it's better than some other things. And it felt bad in my mouth." She shuddered gently.

Edward smiled around another bite of his ham sandwich. "And how do you – you know?" He waved one hand in the air a bit.

Bella laughed softly. "That, my dear boy, is not pleasant conversation to share over a meal."

Edward laughed with her. "What do you prefer, then?"

"Mountain lion," she answered offhand.

Edward felt his eyes go wide. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but it wasn't that. It just seemed so – wild.

Bella laughed again quietly. "I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "It's just the look on your face…"

Edward nodded and took another bite of his lunch, thinking while he chewed carefully. "It's okay," he answered. "I just really hadn't expected that."

"What had you expected?" She smiled at him.

"Honestly, I don't know. Just – not that."

Bella grinned at him. "Emmett prefers grizzlies."

"Now that," Edward said with a smile, "doesn't surprise me in the slightest."

Bella's laugh mixed with Emmett's from across the room. "He can hear me?" Edward glanced over to where the rest of Bella's family sat and caught Emmett's wink.

"Yes, though they're trying not to listen," she said with a slight narrowing of her eyes that Edward knew was meant for her siblings.

"I imagine you don't get much privacy in a family like that," Edward commented, returning to his sandwich.

Bella shrugged, reaching out to toy with the bottle of lemonade from her tray. "Sometimes not so much, but I have my ways of coping. Music, for one. Getting out of the house is another." She ducked her head again, letting her hair fall around her face. "I don't have much to hide, though."

Edward sensed there was more to that statement than she was sharing, but he let it go. He had a feeling it was more of that 'impolite' conversation. "Will you tell me more about them? Your family."

Bella tucked her hair back around her ear, her ring catching the horrid florescent lighting and glinting. "I met up with Carlisle in Chicago in 1918," she said quietly, forcing Edward to lean forward a bit to be able to hear her. He supposed she didn't want to risk anyone overhearing, though they were already talking softly under the buzz of conversation in the room, and they were sitting on the fringes. "I was working as a nurse during the Spanish Influenza pandemic, and Carlisle was a doctor in the wards. He took me in and we travelled for awhile. Carlisle found Esme sometime later, in the early thirties. She was dying, and he turned her. They fell very much in love and have been together ever since."

Edward sensed again that she was censoring, but didn't push.

"We came across Rosalie next. She'd also been left to die. I found her, and took her to Carlisle. Rosalie found Emmett after he'd been mauled by a bear," she said with a smirk, "and he joined us next."

"He's got a thing for bears, then."

Bella giggled. "Yeah. Don't let that gruff exterior fool you though. He's a great big teddy bear underneath it."

Edward smiled and finished his sandwich while she continued. "Alice and Jasper found us in the mid '50s. They came together, already as one of us. That's the Cullen Clan story in a nutshell," she said.

Edward nodded. "It must be nice, having a big family that you can turn to." He worked on finishing her apple, stowing the orange away for later.

Bella shrugged again. "Sometimes it is. But it's just normal, you know?" She smiled softly and abandoned her bottle to play with her ring again.

Edward reached across the table slowly and took her hand, holding her fingers loosely. He felt the charge run through him at the contact, but didn't pull away as he lifted her fingers slightly so he could see the ring she was toying with it.

"It's the family crest," she said softly, anticipating his question. "Alice has a choker and Rosalie wears that huge pendant. The boys have leather cuffs."

Edward nodded. He'd seen Emmett's several times. "Why the ring?" He gave her fingers a slight squeeze and moved to let her go, but she turned her hand instead and twined their fingers together.

"I don't wear a lot of jewelry, so I wanted something simple," she admitted. Her free hand drifted to her neck and lightly touched the antique cross. "This was my mother's, and it's all I wear regularly, besides the ring."

"It's very pretty. It's also very old?" He gave her hand a squeeze. He liked sitting with her like this, just having a conversation.

Bella nodded, a wistful expression crossing her face.

"You miss her?" Edward let go of her hand long enough to stand and move to her side of the table, sitting next to her and taking her hand again.

"I don't really remember her," Bella admitted quietly. "Just impressions, really. Human memories fade after awhile," she whispered.

Edward didn't say anything in response, just kissed the top of her head and held her hand while she came back to herself.

"Sorry," she said softly.

"It's alright." He smiled at her. "I go off into la la land all the time."

She returned the smile and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."

Edward felt like he was beaming. "Can I ask you one more question before class?"

"Sure."

"How did you become –?" he stopped himself. It felt somehow taboo to say the word out loud.

"Ah." She smiled and squeezed his hand. "Not here, dear boy."

Edward tried not to look disappointed, and he knew he failed when she kissed him again, on the lips this time, barely more than a brush of flesh.

"I will tell you. It's just a longer story than we have time for right now, and I'd rather do it away from curious ears." She shifted her gaze across the room to where Newton was openly gawping at them.

"Okay." Edward could accept that.

"Thank you," she said quietly, brushing her lips over his cheek again as the first bell rang. "How much should we torture Mikey?" she whispered in his ear before she stood.

Edward chuckled lowly as he gathered both their trays. "He's already burning with jealousy," he muttered, knowing Bella could hear him perfectly. He slid his empty tray under Bella's full one, slung on his messenger bag and picked up the trays with one hand and took Bella's hand in the other. "This should be enough."

Bella smiled and squeezed his hand, laying her free hand across her belly and on his forearm as they passed Newton's table. Edward knew Newton had had his eyes on Bella since that first day and Edward couldn't help but feel smug that he had succeeded where Newton hadn't even gotten close to failing.

He slid the trays onto the bin and turned when Bella laughed at something. She just shook her head and gave his hand a squeeze. They walked to biology hand in hand and even Edward could hear the murmuring of the rest of the student body in the halls. He let it roll off his back. He knew he was the subject of enough gossip on his own and he was really more concerned about how Bella would feel about being once more the center of the gossip wheel around school. He looked down at her and she was smiling serenely.

"Okay?" He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Yup." She smiled at him. "You?"

Edward kissed the top of her head lightly, breathing in her scent. "Hm." He smiled. "I could get used to this."

She smiled up at him. "Me too."

They reached biology and the whispers followed them to their seats in the back. Newton followed them in, shooting Edward a dirty look before he threw his bag onto the lab bench and flopping on his stool hard enough to rock onto two legs. Edward just rolled his eyes and settled in his seat, letting Bella's hand go so he could gather his materials and watched out of the corner of his eye as she did the same.

Mr. Banner entered just after the bell rang and begun his lecture. Edward tore a sheet of paper from his binder and scrawled a note and passed it to Bella, half paying attention to the lecture.

_how many times have you been to high school?_

He saw Bella's smile as she scribbled her response.

_too many to count_

Edward thought for a minute before he wrote back.

_how many and what degrees_ do _you have_?

He had to bite back on the snort that fought to break out in the middle of the lecture.

_PhD in American Literature, British Literature, Sociology, Rhetoric and Composition, MBA, MD (pediatrics) _

He looked at Bella as he passed his next and watched her bite her lip to keep from laughing.

_WTF?_

_Don't sleep, remember. Lots of time for studying. And I've been around for a long time_ She smirked at him.

_Why are you here, then_?

Bella's response was more interesting than he'd expected. _the younger we pretend to be, the longer we can stay in one place. We get about ten years if no one slips up and us kids go to college. High school is a necessary evil._

He smiled as he wrote his response. _I couldn't agree more_

She smirked back at him. _Good. You need your education_

He rolled his eyes at her. _What do you want to be when you grow up?_

It was Bella's turn to roll her eyes. _I might try nursing school again. I miss being a nurse_

_have you done that often?_

_I've worked with Carlisle on and off. In Chicago, like I said, and at a VA hospital during WW2 and Vietnam. I haven't really since the 60s and it was easier to get into academics, but I miss helping people_

Edward grinned. I _bet you were a fantastic nurse_

Bella smiled. _I enjoyed it_

_was it difficult for you?_

He watched Bella frown until she puzzled out the meaning of his message. _Yes and no. The temptation is always there, but it's easier for me to resist than the others. But it's something we can talk about later_

Edward frowned a bit. _you say that a lot_

Bella looked at him and he held her topaz eyes for a moment before she responded. _I know. This just isn't the right place and we need more time than lunch. I know it's sometime away, but can your curiosity hold out until Saturday?_

Edward read the note and considered. He really did want to know, but he also knew that she was putting a lot of trust in him by revealing herself and the least he could do was wait. _Yes, I can wait until this weekend. But you have to do something for me in exchange._ He grinned as he slid the note over to her.

_I do, do I?_ She smiled shyly back at him.

Edward nodded. _you have to go on a date with me on Thursday_

_I think I can handle that_

He smiled broadly at her and nodded. The bell rang signaling the end of class, and Edward jotted down the chapter so he could review what he'd missed in the lecture before slamming his notebook closed. "Thank you for trusting me," he said quietly to Bella.

She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, the familiar surge running through him. "With everything that I am, Edward." He saw the sincerity in her eyes.

The classroom was nearly empty as they slid off their stools. Edward brushed his lips over her temple. "I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked quietly as they walked hand in hand to the door.

Bella nodded. "Call me tonight?"

"Of course, love." He released her when they reached the door, since they were going in opposite directions. Emmett was leaning against the lockers across the hall waiting, arms crossed against his broad chest, smirking.

Bella rolled her eyes and rose up on tiptoe slightly to kiss Edward's cheek. "Bye, Edward." She disappeared in the crowd going the other way.

Edward met Emmett's gaze, wary of the fact that he was staring down his girlfriend's much bigger brother. Emmett broke first, grinning and pushing off the lockers and they joined the swarm of students as they headed toward Spanish.

"Do I have to give you the speech about hurting my little sister?" Emmett asked.

"Considering she's more than capable of hurting me, I think you're probably safe," Edward muttered softly.

"Dude, that's not what I meant and you know it." Emmett was smiling, so Edward felt somewhat safe.

"Yeah, man, I know. I promise." Edward stumbled forward when Emmett clapped him on the back.

"Good. 'Cause she's happy, and she hasn't been in a long time, and I know you're the reason for it. But that doesn't mean I won't hurt you if you do her wrong." Emmett was completely serious, which made Edward think less of the teddy bear that Bella had labeled him and more of the grizzly that she said he preferred.

"Emmett, I swear to you I won't do anything to purposefully hurt her," Edward said sincerely as they reached their Spanish class.

The rest of the afternoon passed as quickly as the morning had. Orchestra rehearsal was smooth and problem free, though Newton was still shooting daggers at him with his eyes. Edward was already dreading jazz rehearsal the next morning.

His mom was home when he got there after rehearsal, getting dinner ready.

"Hi, mom," he greeted her, dropping his bag at the bar and reaching into the fridge for a slice of cheese and a piece of turkey for a snack. Dinner would still be a couple hours, he knew, since his dad rarely made it home before 7 in the evening and the lasagna his mom was working on wasn't quite assembled yet.

"Hi, sweetheart. Have a good day?" She turned and leaned against the counter as Edward perched on one of the barstools.

"I did, actually. Did you?" He accepted the glass of water his mom handed him as he munched his snack.

"Yes, I did." She chatted a bit about her day, leaving out any specifics about her patients of course, while she continued to put together the lasagna for dinner.

"Do you and dad have plans for Valentine's Day?" Edward asked eventually.

"Hm." His mom thought for a moment. "I think we're going up to Port Angeles and making it a long weekend. We're leaving Thursday morning and coming back Sunday evening. Why, do you have plans? Is there a girl in your life, Edward?" His mom teased.

Edward rolled his eyes. He was used to the teasing, but he wasn't quite ready to tell his parents about Bella yet. "No, I don't have any plans," he fibbed easily. Knowing his parents were going to be out made it easier to put his own plan into action. He escaped soon after, fleeing to his room to work on homework until dinner.

Tuesday and Wednesday passed as Monday had, fairly quickly. Edward ate lunch with Bella (after getting her to agree to let him just get one tray for them to "share") and they took turns asking each other random questions in an effort to get to know each other better, while ignoring the stares and chatter from the other students around them. Edward could almost sense the hateful thoughts coming at them from Newton, and his two constant hangers-on, Jessica and Lauren. They passed notes in biology on Tuesday, but Wednesday they were able to chat quietly as they worked on a lab, and then after, as they finished well ahead of the rest of the class.

Edward also found that Emmett was a bit more open when they had a chance to talk between or during the classes they shared, now that he knew more about their family. He'd never really had any close friends, and it was nice to be able to talk to someone about anything and everything, and he finally knew why it was that Emmett looked so tired sometimes (hadn't been hunting) and why it was that Jasper always looked to tense and in pain. He still hadn't really met Alice and Jasper but he greeted them every morning in trig.

Thursday morning dawned overcast and drizzly and Edward had never been so happy for rain in his life. He had carefully watched the weather report over the past several days, making sure that the sun wouldn't be out and foil his plans. He dressed casually as usual, in jeans, a long sleeved grey t-shirt and a white sweater and pulled on his boots. His mom met him downstairs with breakfast. She was dressed casually as well and he spotted his parents' bags piled near the door.

"You sure you're alright for the next few days, sweetheart?" his mom asked him for the umpteenth time.

"I'm sure, mom," Edward assured her, enjoying the special weekday scrambled eggs and toast. "There's plenty of food and I can always go to the diner, and I've got school and practice to keep me busy, and I think I might run to Seattle this weekend." Of course he was spending Saturday with Bella, but his mom didn't need to know that.

"Well, if you're sure," his mom said.

Edward rolled his eyes. "I'm nearly eighteen, mom. I think I can handle a weekend home alone."

His dad chose that moment to come into the kitchen, kissing his mom on the cheek. "No parties, son."

Edward shrugged. "Who would I invite anyway?"

His mom laughed softly, though he knew they worried a bit about his lack of a social life. "Alright. Well, we're leaving. Be good, and call us if you need anything." She kissed the top of his head and his dad patted him on the back and then they were gone, hand in hand, out the front door. Edward sighed.

He quickly cleaned up from breakfast, washing his dishes and stowing them in the rack to dry. He grabbed his bag, an apple, filled his water bottle and was out the door with a few minutes to spare. Edward had just enough time to stop at the florist (open early for the holiday) and pick up the small bouquet he'd special ordered. He'd done his research and knew that the language of flowers was something big in the Victorian era, and that Bella would likely get anything he attempted to say that way.

He'd forgone the over-done and typical roses, and opted instead for a combination of a red tulip, a white carnation, an orchid, a blue violet and a white violet bound together with baby's breath. He tipped the florist for the excellent job (and the rush order) and sped off to school He was a few minutes early, as he'd planned to be, and he made his way quickly through the halls to Bella's locker. He'd enlisted Emmett's help for that part of his plan, and used the combination he'd been given to open her locker and set the bouquet gently inside where she'd see them. Pleased with himself for the surprise, he strode off to rehearsal with a bounce in his step.

There was a small bundle sitting on the piano bench when he arrived in the band room. A few students were already there, bleary eyed as usual at not quite seven in the morning. Edward smiled softly at the small bunch of pansies wrapped with mint leaves tied together in a royal blue ribbon. It seemed that he and Bella had thought along similar lines. He used the ribbon to tie the bundle to his bag and set it gently on the floor, and sliding it under the bench so it wouldn't get trampled.

Rehearsal went quietly as they sight read new music to select pieces for their next concert in a few months. Soon enough they were packing up to get on with their day. Edward picked up his bag and slung it on carefully. He smiled when he saw Bella waiting for him outside the music room, dressed in a blue wrap dress. "Good morning, love," he said quietly. He knew they'd not actually declared themselves or anything, but she'd not questioned the use of the endearment.

She reached for his hand and tugged him close, and she just hugged him, pressing her face into his neck and breathing deeply. Edward was careful to not move much, just wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling into the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. After a moment, his hands moved and he combed through her hair lightly. They were in an out of the way alcove, so he didn't mind, just let her hold him for as long as she needed.

"Everything alright?" he asked after a long moment, knowing they didn't have long before the first bell rang.

Bella nodded against him. She pressed a light kiss to his collarbone and looked up at him and smiled. "I've never had a Valentine before," she admitted with a shy smile.

"Me either," Edward said. "I'd never really thought about the holiday before this year. But I'm glad I can share it with you."

The warning bell rang. Edward dipped his head and kissed Bella softly. "I'll see you at lunch?"

Bella nodded, cupping his face and brushing her thumbs over his cheekbones.

"Okay." He kissed her forehead tenderly and let her go reluctantly as they walked in opposite directions.

Newton glared at him when he got to trig, but Jasper and Alice both smiled at him, Alice mouthing a 'thank you,' though he couldn't be sure what she was thanking him for. He assumed it had to do with Bella and he nodded back before paying attention to the lesson for the day.

Emmett met him outside trig as usual, greeting his siblings with a nod, but wrapping a brotherly arm around Edward's shoulder as they made their way to English. "Big plans for tonight?"

Edward nodded.

"Got protection?"

Edward stopped walking. "What?"

Emmett's booming laugh echoed through the halls, stopping students as they turned to stare. He pulled Edward forward and started walking again. "You heard me."

"I did, but what business of it is yours?" he grumped.

"Look, Edward," Emmett was suddenly serious and pulled him to one side out of traffic. "You're my friend, and my little's sister's guy, so I gotta look out for you. You probably figure Bella's safe and all, from the things you kids have to worry about, but it's for _your_ protection here, alright? _Please_ don't ask me to go into details. You're a smart kid; either you'll figure it out on your own or you'll ask Bella. But if you plan on sleeping with her, you need to make sure you use a condom."

Edward was pretty sure he was bright red, but he heard the seriousness in Emmett's voice. "It wasn't really in my plans for tonight, but I'll keep it in mind," he muttered.

"It wasn't?" Emmett looked confused. "Why the hell not?"

Edward shook his head and resumed walking to class. "We haven't known each other that long, and I don't know that I'm ready," he admitted. "We haven't talked about it."

"I've seen the way she looks at you, and she lights up when she talks about you," Emmett said as they reached their classroom. "I'm not sure the actual number of days means anything to the two of you." With that, Emmett opened the door and they made it to their seats as the bell rang, leaving Edward to his thoughts.

When class was over, Emmett resumed their topic of conversation. "So, I'm guessing that you've never-"

Edward shook his head. "No."

"Why not?" Emmett seemed genuinely curious. "I've seen the way the girls around here respond to you. Surely you could've had any of them."

Edward shrugged. "None of them interested me. They all saw me as something new and shiny, and didn't actually want to try to get to know me when I moved here, so I didn't bother trying to date anyone. Besides, I wanted to make sure I found the right person. I'm not interested in casual sex." He knew his views were old fashioned, but if anyone understood that, it was probably Emmett.

Emmett nodded and thankfully dropped the subject. "So what is on the agenda for the evening? Dinner's out," he teased.

Edward laughed quietly. "Music and dancing, maybe a movie and cuddling, if she's alright with it. My parents are out of town, so we're just staying at my place tonight instead of trying to get out anywhere with too many people."

Emmett paused in the hallway. "You're a good guy, Edward," he said quietly. "It's rare enough that any of us make friends outside the family, and of course we try to keep it that way since we don't really stay anywhere all that long, and let's face it, not exactly safe. But for you to have found each other, and that you're willing to consider her needs…it's more than most humans do for each other. You make her happy, and you certainly seem more happy since you came back from that trip to Salem. Just take care of each other, alright? Don't let the differences between you get in the way of what's really important."

Edward wasn't used to hearing so much from Emmett at one time that wasn't about sports, and certainly nothing so insightful. He responded the only way he could. "Thanks, Emmett."

"Alice will make sure she hunts before she comes over tonight." Emmett said.

Edward received another clap on the shoulder (he was going to be bruised for weeks) and then another boring lecture in history. Emmett disappeared at the end of class and Edward trudged off to gym. He made sure to shower quickly at the end of the hour and nearly ran to the cafeteria.

Bella was already seated at their table, with a brown paper bag on the table in front of her. She looked slightly nervous, so Edward bypassed the lunch line and joined her, sliding into the seat next to her. "Hi."

She smiled and leaned against him. He welcomed the cool weight of her against his side. "Hi," she whispered. "I missed you."

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist, hugging her close. "I missed you too." He had, even though the morning had gone by quickly, he missed her when he couldn't be with her.

"Mm," she said quietly. "I should give you mint more often. It smells good with you." She smiled softly.

"Good enough to eat?" He teased.

She pinched his thigh lightly, but he knew it would still likely bruise. He wasn't worried about it. "Not funny."

"Spoilsport." He pinched her side in retaliation and she squirmed against him.

"I brought you lunch," she said quietly, reaching for the bag.

"You didn't have to do that," he said, taking it from her.

"I wanted to," Bella answered. "I didn't cook, though," she said with a smile. "I'm afraid it's been too long for me, and I didn't want to poison you when you've got big plans for me tonight."

"Thank you," he said, kissing her cheek lightly before unpacking the bag. He found a warm box of take out Chinese (chow mein and sesame chicken) and a large heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie.

"Happy Valentine's day," Bella said quietly. She curled up slightly against his side while he ate and pretended to share with her.

"How did you know I've been craving Chinese food?" he asked between bites.

"Alice and Emmett," Bella answered simply with a shy smile. "How did you get my locker combination?"

Edward winked at her and she laughed quietly. They continued to speak quietly through lunch and he just enjoyed having her close. He didn't finish his lunch, so tucked away the leftovers to finish for dinner that night. They walked hand in hand to biology, where they were taking a test, which meant to talking and no note passing. "My house, 6:30," Edward reminded Bella before they went in.

She nodded. "I'll be there. Should I dress up?"

"You're gorgeous no matter what you wear." She ducked her head and Edward tipped her chin up. "Bella. You're beautiful. You're smart. You're incredibly compassionate and kind. You're perfect."

She shook her head. "I'm really not, Edward."

He kissed her forehead. "You don't see yourself as clearly as everyone around you does, love." He smiled softly.

"We'll see," she whispered. She gave him a quick hug before they entered the classroom, and Edward puzzled over her words, wondering (not for the first time) what was going through her head.

The test took most of the class period, and Edward was still finishing up when the bell rang. "I'll see you tonight," Bella whispered, kissing his cheek before she left.

Spanish was a blur and Orchestra flew by and before he knew it, Edward was home, setting out candles and changing into slacks and a pale blue button up, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He was barefoot and his hair was artfully mussed as always. He ate the leftover Chinese for dinner before Bella arrived and took another look around to make sure everything was perfect. He'd moved the furniture to the edges of the room where his piano resided and had brought down his iHome and set up his iPod with the specially created play list. He'd scattered candles around the room and the flames danced, casting the room in a warm glow. He ran back upstairs and quickly brushed his teeth.

He'd also set up the living room, large pillar candles on the coffee table, a pile of pillows and blankets on the floor in front of the television, a selection of movies ready to go.

At 6:30 on the dot, there was a knock on the door. Edward's breath caught in his throat when he answered it. Bella looked stunning. She was dressed simply, yet elegantly, in a black cocktail dress. It was sleeveless and fitted through the bodice and flared slightly at her hips, falling loosely around her thighs, the skirt stopping just above her knees. Her hair had been done up with loose curls framing her heart shaped face. She was wearing a different necklace, a more delicate piece that highlighted the glow of her skin. Her eyes were a bright topaz, the purple shadows sometimes lurking under her eyes completely absent. She had just hunted.

"Bella, you look fantastic." He held the door open and stepped back, letting her inside, closing and locking the door behind her. He took her hand and led her in, kissing her softly. "Would you like the tour?"

She smiled widely and nodded.

Edward took her through the house, pointing out his father's office, his mom's study, and his own bedroom. He ended it in the music room, or the parlor off the kitchen. "Are you ready for your gift?"

"Edward you didn't have to-"

"I wanted to," he echoed her words from lunch. He sat at the piano and held his hand out for her to join him on the bench. He hummed in contentment as she settled at his side and he began to play the song he'd composed for her those several weeks ago. He'd finally finished it.

Bella's expression was one of adoration when she turned to him as the last notes rang throughout the room. "It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Just like the woman who inspired it," Edward said in the same hushed tone.

"She's a very lucky girl, then," Bella said sincerely. "Who was it?"

Edward started at her, slightly shocked. "You, Bella. I wrote that for you."

"For me?" She blinked at him.

"Silly Bella," Edward whispered. He took her chin lightly between his fingers and turned her toward him, moving slowly before bringing his lips to hers. He kissed her deeply, his hand shifting back to cup the back of her head lightly, fingers sinking into the upswept mass of dark hair. He put everything he could into that kiss, showing her through the action how much he cared for her, how beautiful he thought she was, what she meant to him. He teased at her lips with his tongue and she submitted to him and he pressed the kiss deeper.

Her fingers were in his hair and she was making a quiet, needy sound as he kissed her. He felt an odd sort of tingling in his mouth before his tongue started to feel a bit numb and he pulled away when he remembered he needed to breathe and she did not. It faded after a moment.

"I started hearing that song the first day I met you," he whispered as he rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily. "I thought maybe it was something I'd come up with in the fever from the flu, but it was there again when I saw you the next week. The melody haunted me, like you did." He kissed her again softly. "I love you."

The smile he received in returning was blinding and she threw herself into his arms. "I love you, too," she whispered against his neck and he shivered slightly as her breath gusted across his throat. He held her close as they exchanged soft kisses there on the uncomfortable bench. He wouldn't push her any farther than her control could handle, but when he looked into her eyes, he saw they were still that bright gold that he'd come to associate with control and contentment and not the flat black that he understood to be a warning sign.

"Will you dance with me?" He rose from the bench and offered her his hand.

She smiled shyly and slid off the bench gracefully after she took off her shoes. He looked at her, confused; they'd made up some height difference.

"You're not wearing any, and I don't want to step on your feet in those heels," she said softly, going on tiptoe to kiss him again gently. "I'm not really a good dancer."

"Silly Bella," he repeated. "It's all in the leading." He used the remote in his pocket to set the playlist playing and took Bella into his arms. Jazz standards floated through the room and they danced, content in each other's arms, a comfortable silence falling over them. Occasionally one of them would sing along to the lyrics for the other, and they remained close for an hour until the playlist wrapped up, leaving them clinging to each other and swaying together in the silence.

Edward eventually pulled away, needing to eat again. "Would you stay tonight?" he asked quietly. "We could watch a movie and just stay together?" After all the dancing his body was more than happy to get close to her in another way, but he knew he wasn't mentally ready, despite declaring his love for her.

"I'd love to." She smiled sweetly at him. "Go get a snack," she nodded toward the kitchen. "Can I borrow some clothes?"

Edward nodded, tugging her with him into the kitchen. She hopped up on the bar, swinging her legs easily while he made a quick half-sandwich of peanut butter and jelly and a glass of milk. He'd gotten over feeling awkward when she watched him eat over the last few days and no longer felt self conscious as he did.

"You're adorable," she said quietly as he leaned against the counter and had his snack.

He blushed a bit. "You're not half bad yourself."

She laughed and he soaked up the sound. He rinsed his glass and left it in the sink with the knife he'd used, and took her hand again as she hopped off the counter. He led her upstairs to his room once more and dug out a t-shirt and shorts from a drawer for her to wear. He carried his own flannel pants and t-shirt into the bathroom to change. He took the time to brush his teeth once more as well, and took out his contacts, slipping his glasses on.

When he came out, Bella had changed into his clothes and let her hair down, and she'd never looked more gorgeous than she did in his clothes and he found himself reconsidering that earlier decision not to rush things. He crossed the room to her in three long strides and grabbed her up and kissed her deeply, growling softly deep in his chest. He froze when he heard the answering growl, startled and suddenly she was halfway across the room.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," he said quietly in a rush.

"No." She said, catching her breath, holding out a hand. "It's alright. I'm alright." She smiled at him and crossed back, slowly. "It's alright. I just…instincts." She smiled sheepishly and kissed him again, lightly this time.

Edward smiled and kissed her back on her lips, cheeks, jaw. "Come on, love. Back downstairs." He led her down to the living room and the nest, leaving her to choose the movie while he extinguished the candles and made sure the house was locked up. When he returned she was sitting against the couch, pillows and blankets in her lap and The Princess Bride queued up in the dvd player.

He curled up where she indicated, leaning against her chest with a blanket between them (so he didn't get chilled by her, she'd said), placing a pillow against her thigh. As the movie started, she started stroking her fingers through his hair, and that motion, coupled with the happiness and peacefulness that he felt in the moment quickly lulled him to sleep.

[end note: Edward's Bouquet to Bella: Tulip(red) - Believe me; declaration of love, Carnation (white) -Sweet and lovely; innocence; pure love; woman's good luck gift, Orchid - Love; beauty; refinement; beautiful lady; Chinese symbol for many children, Violet(blue) - Watchfulness; faithfulness; I'll always be true Violet(white) - Let's take a chance on happiness, Baby's Breath - Everlasting Love

Bella's to Edward: Pansy - Thoughts; love, Mint - Protection from illness; warmth of feeling]


	13. Chapter 13

Bella held Edward as he slept in her lap. Once she was sure he was out she turned the volume of the television to low and she split her attention between it and him throughout the night. Edward had started against her chest, but had slowly slipped down to curl up in her lap, head nestled on the pillow against her thigh. He slept as soundly as he had the weekend previous, though curled on his side, the soft snores she remembered where silenced and replaced with his heavy slow breathing.

She lightly traced his features with a fingertip, once again taken aback at the simplistic beauty of him, removing his glasses when he'd nestled down. She still wasn't sure what she had done to deserve him, but she was determined not to mess it up, though she wasn't so sure he would run screaming after he had her full story. She sighed quietly as she watched him sleep. She couldn't let herself think that way; it would only lead to ruin.

The night slipped into early morning and Bella occupied herself with Edward-watching and late-night television. She normally didn't watch much TV, but she flipped channels until she found something that kept her attention. Before the sun began to creep over the horizon she changed to a morning news program and gently roused the gorgeous boy in her lap.

"Edward?" She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him softly.

"Hm?" He stirred a bit, but his eyes didn't open.

"Wake up, dear boy," she encouraged quietly with a smile, tracing over his lips with a finger as they began to quirk up in his crooked smile. "It's a school day."

"Let's skip." He grinned, kissing her finger.

"You have a test in trig today, and we both have history tests," she reminded him, though she was tempted. "We'll have all day tomorrow."

"Alright," he said with a sigh, but he smiled.

She kissed his temple and ran her fingers through his hair once before he sat up. She handed him his glasses. "Did you sleep alright?" Bella glanced at the clock; he would need to start getting ready to make it to rehearsal on time.

Edward stretched and nodded, then turned and settled against her again, wrapping his arms around her waist and settling his chin against the top her head. "Yes."

Bella snuggled a bit closer. She was pleased to find her control was holding. Alice had made her feed the afternoon before which lessened the thirst, but she found that while she was still attracted to his scent, she didn't feel compelled to feed from him. She was in complete control, even with her nose pressed against his throat and surrounding herself with his scent. Bella knew in that moment that she wouldn't hurt him, on purpose at least.

He sighed quietly, breaking Bella out of her thoughts. "We should move."

Bella nodded, kissing his jaw gently. "I need to go home, and you need to have breakfast and get to school." She giggled at the pout that formed on his lips. She kissed it and untangled herself from his grasp, taking his hand. "Thank you for a wonderful night."

"Thank you for staying. Will you come stay again tonight?" Edward kissed her lightly.

"Yes," Bella answered without thinking. There wasn't any place she'd rather be. "But we have to go to school, first," she teased. "And I need clean clothes."

Edward huffed but let her up. She rose and stooped to kiss his forehead. "I'll see you in a couple hours," she promised, smoothing her hand down his face, his stubble tickling her palm.

He pulled her down for another long sweet kiss. "Okay," he said quietly, his voice rough.

Bella smoothed her hand over his cheek again, found her shoes, her dress, and her handbag, and let herself out. She tossed her things onto the seat of her truck and drove herself home as the sun began to peek over the cloudy horizon.

Alice and Rose were waiting for her when she stepped into the living room. Alice took her dress and shoes and rushed them upstairs while Rose steered her to the couch. "How was it?" Rose asked when Alice reappeared.

"Perfect," Bella answered simply with a smile. "He played the song he wrote for me, and we danced, and then he fell asleep while we watched a movie."

"And you walked away this morning?" Alice teased.

Bella rolled her eyes. "It's a school day," she said "and we both have exams, and I needed clean clothes because I can't go to school in this." She gestured to the basketball shorts that she'd had to roll several times to keep on her waist and one of Edward's t-shirts. "Though I'm not sure he's getting them back."

Alice and Rose laughed and hugged her from both sides.

"Can I ride with one of you today?" Bella asked. "I'm going home with Edward after school, and we've plans for tomorrow."

Alice nodded. "Ride with Jasper and me. You want to be early."

Bella ducked her head and bit her lip, embarrassed, but Alice and Rose ignored her and instead whisked her upstairs. Alice pulled clothes from Bella's closet, choosing a long caramel colored sweater and a pair of white leggings and white ballet flats and draped them on the end of the chaise while Rosalie set Bella on the chaise and began to work through her tangled hair with a large brush, smoothing it down. Alice tossed a silver link belt onto the pile.

"What do you want for tomorrow, Bella?" Alice asked, bouncing around and finding a small overnight bag in the closet.

"Jeans," Bella said firmly. "We'll be outside most of the day."

Alice nodded. "Taking him to the meadow?" Her family knew of the secluded spot Bella favored when she needed to escape. It was deep in the woods, and her family only knew of it in case they needed to find her. They didn't invade her privacy there unless it was urgent.

"Yes." Bella rose from the chaise and grabbed a ribbon that matched the sweater Alice laid out and tied her hair back in a low tail at the base of her neck. "He's asked questions that I can't answer with other people around."

"Is that the best idea?" Rose asked quietly from the chaise. "Being alone with him in seclusion like that?"

Alice was bouncing around the room gathering what Bella would need. A pair of satin pajamas (shorts and a tank top) went into the bag, along with a pair of jeans, and a cream colored sweater, heavy socks and Bella's hiking boots. She didn't need them, really, but they'd keep her feet dry while they walked.

Bella rejoined Rose on the chaise. "I'm in control," she said with a small shrug. "He's not in any danger from me."

"What if he gets hurt? Will you be able to resist then?" Rose asked quietly, fingering a lock of Bella's hair.

"Yes," Bella answered firmly, hearing Alice echo her. She knew Rose didn't mean to be hurtful in her questioning, that she was just trying to be the protective big sister she'd taken it upon herself to be. "The specter of pain is always stronger than bloodlust. It always has been for me," she said quietly, looking at her hands. "No matter how loudly his blood calls for me, I can resist it." Saying it out loud made it that much easier for her to believe.

Rosalie tugged her close for a hug and Alice bounded to her side and she became the filling in a Bella sandwich. "So long as you're sure, baby girl," Rose said softly, using Emmett's nick name for her.

Bella smiled. "I am."

Rose gave her another hug and departed to prepare herself for the day. Alice leapt up. "Your bag is all packed. You'll have a wonderful weekend. Jazz and I will meet you downstairs." She kissed Bella's cheek and left her alone.

Bella dressed in the clothes Alice laid out, adding her mother's necklace and her small silver ring. She tucked Edward's clothes under the pillows on her chaise for safekeeping, and retrieved her messenger bag from her desk in her study. She slipped her copy of the Complete Works of Jane Austen into her overnight bag and made sure her iPod was completely charged before slipping it into her bag as well and darting down the stairs. She grabbed her thigh length tan leather jacket from the coat closet

"So, when do we get to meet Edward?" Jasper asked as they slid into his car, a deceptively sedate looking silver-blue Nissan Sentra (much less conspicuous than Alice's canary yellow Porsche).

"You see him every day," Bella teased with a smile.

"Not like that, silly!" Alice scolded her from the front seat. "When are you bringing him around to meet the family?"

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. I'll talk to him about it."

Alice squealed and Jasper and Bella laughed. Alice filled the rest of the drive to school with chatter about the clothes she was designing for her fall line. It was a small line and she kept herself out of the spotlight, but her designs were famous and popular and could be seen on the red carpet. She took commissions as well; her last one had been a wedding dress for a Hollywood starlet who'd gotten married in secret.

"We'll see you on Sunday," Alice said, giving her a hug when they got to school. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" she sang over her shoulder and Bella laughed, putting her messenger bag on her shoulder and carrying her overnight bag.

Bella stashed her overnight bag in her locker, smiling at the flowers she'd left there yesterday, still vibrant in the water bottle she'd cut the top from. She ducked across the hall and refilled the water bottle and tucked the bouquet back into her locker. It touched her that Edward had been thoughtful enough to research something from her era and had chosen the flowers carefully to convey his message. When she'd found them before school the day before, it'd taken all she had not to _run _ to the music room to see him.

The whole week had been full of new things for Bella. She was still getting used to how comfortable Edward was with physical contact with her. It wasn't that she minded it; she actually found herself craving his touch and the sense of completion that came with it. She was just used to people shying away from her. It was part of their natural response to what she was – a predator. But Edward honestly didn't seem to notice – he never had, from the moment they'd met. Bella wondered if he'd sensed the connection between them that first time and had an innate trust of her based on their response to each other, or if his sense of self-preservation was broken.

She appreciated that he kept the public displays to a minimum. They were talk enough around the school and she didn't want to add fuel to the fire by being more demonstrative than they already were around campus. Bella was uncomfortable being the center of such rumors and speculation, but her happiness with Edward overshadowed her displeasure.

Alice was right, Bella thought, as she slipped her headphones in and walked to wait outside the music room for Edward. She was happy.

Edward found her after rehearsal and she smiled as she saw him. He was dressed as he usually was in jeans, a t-shirt and a sweater, with a jacket and scarf added against the chill February drizzle.

"You look nice," he greeted her, taking her hand as the first bell rang. They'd gotten out late.

"So do you. Like always," she teased him.

"Silly Bella." He walked her to class hand in hand, even though his trig class was in a building on the other side of campus from her English class. He left her there with a soft kiss. "Have a good morning. I'll see you at lunch."

"You too." She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek before he dashed off to his class.

Her morning passed as usual, English and trig, then history with Jasper, and Spanish before lunch. Instead of waiting for Edward at their table, she waited just outside the cafeteria. He came from the gym, his jacket draped over his arm and his scarf draped loosely around his neck. "Hi," she greeted him.

"Well, hello there," he said with a smile.

She took his hand and twined their fingers together. "Would you mind eating lunch with my family today?" she asked quietly. "They're all quite eager to meet you. Well, except Emmett," she said with a grin.

"Are you sure it'll be okay? I mean – they're not going to hate me or anything, right?" He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Of course not, dear boy," she said softly. "They're going to love you." She led him through the lunch line and let him pay for enough food for the both of them and then onto the table where her siblings sat at the edge of the rest of the gathered student body.

"Edward," she said, nodding to each member of her family in turn. "Jasper and Alice, Rosalie, and you know Emmett." She sat beside Jasper, tugging Edward down to sit on her other side next to Emmett. She smiled as Alice practically vibrated in place in her exuberance until Jasper whispered something in her ear and she calmed slightly as her mate's arm went around her shoulders.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Edward," Alice chirped. "Bella and Emmett have talked a lot about you."

"I can assume Bella's been saying good things, but I wouldn't trust anything Emmett's had to say," Edward responded, earning a laugh from everyone.

They fell into easy conversation while Edward ate and the rest of them pushed their food around on their trays. Bella knew that he'd fit in well with the family; even Rosalie had participated in the conversation, though Bella also knew that she'd try for Emmett's sake as much as Bella's.

Trays were gathered as the first bell rang and Bella kept hold on Edward's hand on the walk to and throughout the boring film that Mr. Banner showed in biology. She twined her fingers around Edward's long, slender digits and let his skin warm hers as she traced random patterns over the back of his hand with her thumb. He never once tried to reclaim his hand, just giving her encouraging (she thought) squeezes throughout the hour.

Bella forced herself to leave Edward long enough to go to gym. After spending so much time together, she was finding it much more difficult to be away from him, which surprised her. She'd half expected to feel smothered, but he didn't make her feel trapped – he was just so easy to be with and brought her such a sense of peace, contentment and home, that she never wanted to let him out of her arms, unless he wanted to go.

Fridays in gym had become health class, so Bella and Alice sat at the back of the pack of students wrapped in Bella's shield so Alice could relax and tune out the boring lecture about the threat of STDs and unwanted teen pregnancy. Alice gave Bella a hug before dancing out of the gym to find Jasper, and Bella went to her locker to gather her things. She settled on the floor to read in her place outside the music room and waited for Edward to finish rehearsal. Even through the heavy doors she could hear what was going on inside with perfect clarity. They were still warming up, she gathered, listening to the cacophony of sounds, and because Mr. Hall suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Bella?"

"Oh. Hi, Mr. Hall," Bella said, trying to sound casual.

"What are you doing down there?"He frowned at her, a steaming mug of tea in his hand. His voice was rough, but not intentionally so, Bella decided, seeing the redness in his features. He wasn't feeling well. He also had a good memory for only having met her the once.

"Waiting for rehearsal to be over," she answered honestly. "Edward's my ride home."

He nodded. "Would you like to come inside?" He gestured with his mug. "It can't be all that comfortable down there."

She shook her head and smiled up at him. "No, thanks." Though really, she wanted any excuse to be around Edward, but she didn't want him to feel like he was being smothered, either, and the fresh air was good for her. "I like it out here when the weather's like this." She gestured to the heavy cloud cover but lack of rain.

"Alright. Well, if you change your mind, the door's open." He stepped away without waiting for her acknowledgement, probably knowing he was late.

Bella settled back with her book and lost herself in the romantic tale of Lizzy and Mr. Darcy until the sounds from inside the room stopped and Edward's scent washed over her. She rose gracefully and welcomed his half-embrace of his arm around her shoulders.

"Ready?" He asked.

Bella nodded, and let him lead her to the Volvo. They spent a quiet evening at his house. She perched on the counter as he cooked himself a simple dinner of pasta and garlic toast (literally, toasted bread with butter and garlic powder that smelled funny) and chatted about nothing of consequence and eventually Edward fell asleep with her again in front of the television. Bella shut the TV off and unabashedly watched him sleep as she held him close and played with his hair. He relaxed into a boneless shape as she hummed quietly and ran her fingers through his untidy mass of hair, smiling softly.

When he woke in the morning, she told him to pack a lunch and dress for hiking. While he got ready, Bella changed into the clothes Alice had packed and pulled her hair back into a single thick braid to keep it off her face. Edward emerged from his room in dark jeans, heavy boots, and a flannel shirt buttoned up over an old band t-shirt and carrying a backpack. Bella leaned against the wall as he made a couple sandwiches and placed some fruit, the sandwiches, and his water bottle in the pack.

"Do you trust me," Bella asked him quietly when they stepped outside after he'd had breakfast.

"Yes," he answered simply.

Bella took his arm gently and before he could protest, threw him over her back and she _ran_. She nearly laughed at the feeling of exhilaration that ran through her as she sped through the wilderness that surrounded Forks. She heard Edward's harsh breathing in her ear as she easily shouldered his weight, though the height difference took a bit of compensation.

She slowed a couple miles out from the meadow, returning to a human pace.

"Oh, god," Edward moaned as he slid from her back.

She turned and swallowed her laugh. "Are you alright?" She asked, genuinely concerned. "You look a little green."

He waved his hand and sat roughly on the damp ground, drawing his knees up and placing his head between them. "Just give me a minute."

Bella nodded and crouched down next to him, easing the backpack from his shoulders and retrieving his bottle of water, handing it over silently. He accepted it gratefully and took slow sips.

"Next time, remind me to keep my eyes closed."

Bella laughed quietly. "I should have warned you. Sorry."

He waved her off again and they sat quietly for a few more moments until Edward's color returned back to normal. He rose, dusting off his pants and reclaiming his bag from Bella. "Alright. I'm good."

She smiled and kissed him softly, taking his hand and leading him deeper into the forest. They walked together quietly, the silence between them comfortable as they enjoyed their natural surroundings. Bella kept her senses on high alert; there hadn't been any nomads in the area for some time, but at the speed they could travel, it was possible someone could have slipped into the area more or less undetected. She had to admit her attentions had been focused elsewhere for the past several days.

Bella only tripped a few times, when her concentration slipped to something other than where she put her feet. Edward laughed softly and teased her about being the world's only clumsy vampire and Bella laughed with him; she couldn't exactly deny it. They made good time through the denser part of the forest, and arrived in the clearing just after ten in the morning according to Bella's watch.

She stopped to let Edward take in their surroundings. The meadow was isolated in the middle of the forest, surrounded by tall trees, but a large circle of glass existed in the center, wildflowers sprinkled throughout. Boulders lined the edges of the circle, placed sporadically by nature, though two close together made perfect vantage points to watch animals pass through the small crick that wove along the far edge of the clearing.

"It's beautiful," Edward breathed. "Do you come here a lot?"

Bella nodded. "Sometimes. When I need to think or get away from my family." She stepped into the clearing as the sun broke through the clouds and she felt the warm of it on her skin. She tipped her head back with her eyes closed and smiled as she let it beam down on her face. Sensing the opportunity to answer one of Edward's questions, she stripped off her heavy cream colored sweater and stood before him in a camisole, the sunlight causing her skin to shine like a thousand tiny diamonds were piercing her flesh. She turned in a slow circle in the bright sunlight, displaying one of the other tools in her arsenal of what made her the perfect predator. Bright shiny things were attractive.

As if to prove her point, Edward approached her slowly, an expression on his face that Bella couldn't quite puzzle out. He didn't look frightened or awed, and she wished she could know what was going through his thoughts. She let him take her hand, his gaze never breaking with hers.

"You're beautiful," he said reverently in a hushed tone.

Her smile had a sad edge to it.

"What is it?" Edward frowned and smoothed circles into the back of her hand with his thumb.

Bella loved the boy, but he had to know how dangerous it was to be with her, with her family. She may have been able to promise herself never to hurt him, but she couldn't deny who and what they were and what the risks to him were. "I'm a predator, Edward. I look like this to lure my prey."

He shook his head. "I've told you that doesn't matter," he responded. "You wouldn't hurt me."

Bella tore her hand away and leapt back easily onto a low tree limb. She heard his gasp and felt his heart rate pick up as he was startled by the movement. "There are so many ways I could hurt you," she called softly. She leapt from the tree and picked up a couple of stones, smashing them together and letting the dust fall between her fingers. "If I don't pay attention, I could crush you," she whispered. "And you couldn't fight me off. I'm faster," she said, and to punctuate that sentence she ran from one end of the clearing to the other, faster than he could blink, then halfway back again. She stalked closer to him, silently, from behind. "And you'd never hear me coming," she said lowly, seeing him jump slightly and spin to face her.

"You wouldn't hurt me," he repeated firmly, his voice soft but resolved.

"Not on purpose," she acknowledged. "But we have to be careful, Edward," she whispered as he reached out to caress her face. She leaned into his touch. "We don't hunt humans, but the risk is always there," she explained quietly. "If you accept me, you accept my family, and the risk that comes with them."

Edward tugged her down to the soft grass, reaching for her sweater to tuck between their bodies as he pulled her back to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. "Why is it easier for you to resist?" He rested his chin on her shoulder and Bella tipped her head to one side to rest her temple against his, letting his scent surround her.

"When I was human," she began, "I couldn't stand the smell of human blood. It made me nauseas and often I would fall into a faint." She smiled wryly at the frailty of her human self. "I don't know how I remember that, but I do. Something carried over when I was changed. Carlisle has a theory, that our transformation brings about an enhancement of all our senses, including those 'other' senses that some people seem to have. In my case, I still have a low tolerance for human blood. It makes me physically ill."

She nuzzled him lightly. "So yes, you're right, dear boy, that I'd never hurt you that way. I couldn't live with myself if I did, but I have to admit to being slightly more selfish than that, and say that the fear of the pain would be strong enough to keep me from it."

"What happens?" Edward asked softly, kissing her neck lightly and Bella let out a low sound as his lips brushed over one of her more sensitive areas.

"It's a lot like rejection syndrome," Bella continued softly, beginning to relax. "When we undergo the change, our bodies make a physiological shift as well. Our bodily fluids are replaced with venom, which we use to stun our prey before we feed. For some reason, human blood doesn't absorb into my system the way it does others; my venom rejects it, so to speak. I can take some nourishment from it, but it takes an extremely long time for it to absorb and it's very painful." She shuddered delicately as she remembered the last time James had made her feed that way, and the one time she'd demonstrated for Carlisle.

Edward held her close as the memory of the pain faded. "Where did you go just now?"

Though she found it easier to be around him the more time she spent with him, her body still responded and produced a mouthful of venom she forced back. Bella ducked her head and sighed softly. "I have another story to tell you," she said quietly. "And when I'm finished, if you never want to have anything to do with me again, I'll understand. I'll make sure you get home safely and you'll never have to see me again."

"Bella," Edward whispered, tipping her chin up and making her face him. His face was serious, his green eyes shining with confusion and empathy.

"I was seventeen in 1892. I was unmarried, but not without suitors. I wasn't ready to be married, though, and I never really consented to anyone. My father died when I was young, and my mother never found it within her to remarry. She had married for love, which was a bit of a scandal at the time she was married, and she didn't want to betray her Charles' memory by marrying another. We ran a boarding house in Boston. We didn't have much luxury for ourselves, but mother made sure I didn't want for anything. She always found small ways to keep me happy, a new book from the lending library, or collecting newspapers from our guests for me to keep up with the happenings in the rest of the world, small things.

"I had finished what schooling was available to me, and leaving home unmarried wasn't an option, but I was happy there with my mother. Most of the time it was the two of us, but we had a man who came around to help with the heavier chores in exchange for a small bit of money and a good warm meal. I spent most of my time in the kitchen or serving in the dining room. I loved hearing the stories from the people who passed through.

"That winter, Mother boarded a strange man named James. He kept to himself, mostly, was never seen at meals and came and went at strange hours, through his third story window, I found later, since we kept the house secure at night and mother insisted on a curfew.

"I was working in the kitchen one evening. A fever was spreading through the neighborhood, nothing serious, but the doctor had asked me to cook up some of my chicken soup for Mother to take around to the neighbors. I had borrowed my mother's cross to wear to church that morning," she remembered, bringing her hand up absently to stroke the pendant. "James came into the kitchen and persuaded me to go for a walk with him. Mother was out and it was before curfew, and I didn't see any harm in it, despite the strange feeling I got when I was around him, and that he hid behind strangely colored glasses.

"The details get fuzzy after that, though James told me later what had happened. Somehow we made it to the woods beyond town, and he attacked me. He wanted me for his mate. He said I was beautiful and he couldn't live without me, and that we could live together forever and have one of the great romances that he always saw me reading around the house. He bit me and hid me in an abandoned cabin deep within the woods. All I remember is the pain, and then the thirst."

Bella paused. The sun had marched across the sky as she'd talked, and she'd let herself get so lost in the hazy memories that she hadn't smelled the food Edward had eaten.

"Bella, love, you don't have to-" Edward started, his thumb caressing over her cheekbone.

"Yes, Edward, I do." She gathered herself and began to speak again, Edward's warmth at her back and strong arms at her waist anchoring her to the present.

"Among the gifts I received when I was turned was the ability to shield myself from others of my kind, to take myself off their radar, so to speak. It also makes me extra perceptive to the presence of other vampires, and gives me the ability to block the gifts of others. It took me a long time to figure out how to control it properly and how to expand or contract it around my family to keep them safe as well." There was more to it than that, but she skipped over it. "I just knew it let me hide from James.

"James' power was as a tracker, and treated me harshly. He couldn't accept that I couldn't tolerate human blood, and he refused to let me seek an alternative. He wanted me to be his equal in everything. I would refuse to eat until I was mad with thirst, and then let the pain take me away. I would have refused indefinitely, but he would force me, and my shield worked best when I was fed."

She lowered her head, ashamed. "James forced me to satisfy other appetites as well," she whispered. "Eventually I found a way to control him the way he controlled me with feeding." She closed her eyes against the burn of absent tears and pulled away from Edward. "Sex became my weapon against James, and I wielded it well."

Shame and guilt flooded her. "If he was sated, it was easier to convince him to let me go without feeding or if he was really pleased he'd bring me an animal to feed from, to keep my strength up. But inevitably he'd grow angry with something I did and withdraw the kindness and force me to feed from a human." She sighed. "But I didn't love him the way he thought he loved me, and the guilt began to eat at me the longer I had to pretend and give myself over to him. Each body mounted in my conscience and the guilt just made the pain from the illness worse. I grew to hate myself for what I was, for what I did. After twenty years, he finally got tired of me. We lived as nomads, never staying in one place very long and I never knew where we were because he forced me to stay out of town. Finally, he just let me go.

"I was starving and alone, and I hunted for myself for the very first time, finding that I could survive on animal blood. I wandered alone for years, working if I could, keeping away from others of my kind until I happened across Carlisle in Chicago. He didn't shun me because of my lifestyle, and I was surprised when I saw his eyes were gold and he shared my diet. He didn't turn me away because of what I'd done, and I've been with him ever since."

Bella fell silent, Edward's heartbeat and slow steady breathing behind her mixing with the eerily quiet sounds of the forest around them (most of the wildlife would have scattered with her near).

After a long moment, she felt Edward's arms tighten around her. "Why would you think I'd never want to see you again after hearing that?" he asked gently, confusion in his voice.

Bella turned to face him and saw nothing but love and sincerity in his eyes.

"I'm damaged, Edward," she answered simply, unable to hold his gaze. "Unclean." She said with a note of disgust in her voice.

"How can you think that" Edward asked.

"Were you listening?" Bella asked harshly. "I used my body to control another man. I broke a covenant, I gave all of myself to someone I didn't love, and what man would want me after that?" She ducked her head, wishing she hadn't tied her hair back so she should hide behind the curtain of it, wanting so terribly to cry for her sins, for finally admitting her sin out loud. "I was a whore, Edward," she whispered.

"No." He said firmly but gently, taking her chin between his fingers and roughly forcing her to look at him. "No, Isabella Swan, you were not."

"I exchanged sex for food," Bella whispered. "How is it not?"

"He controlled you, Bella," Edward protested, and the forgiveness in his voice broke her non-beating heart. "He _used_ you. You used him back to _survive_, Bella. There's nothing wrong with that."

Bella shook her head. "How can you excuse it, Edward? How can you sit here with me and forgive me, when I can't even forgive myself?"

"Because you did nothing wrong, love," Edward said and she couldn't help but believe him. "You _lived_. That's all. And there's nothing wrong with that. I'm actually pretty fucking happy that you did."

Bella gaped at him – he'd never sworn in front of her before. Before she could respond, he kissed her, gently at first, a chaste brush of lips, but his hand on her neck pulled her closer and he deepened it.

"I love you, Isabella Marie Swan," Edward whispered, resting his forehead against hers. "Warts and all."

She buried her face in his neck and sobbed a laugh. "I don't deserve you."

"You do," he said quietly against her temple. "If I have to spend the rest of my natural life trying to prove it to you, then I will. You absolutely deserve someone who will love you completely and unconditionally."

Bella sobbed again and wrapped her arms around him, letting him hold her up for awhile. "I love you, too."

They sat together for hours, talking softly, Edward telling Bella more about his childhood in Chicago and she related some of her funnier stories about life with the Cullens. The sun dipped low in the sky and ominous clouds had poured in when they finally decided to head back to Edward's. Bella ran them back, cautioning Edward to close his eyes, and she was only halfway back when the skies opened up and soaked them to the skin. Bella welcomed it, tipping her head up to face the sky as she ran, letting it wash her clean and give her a sense of absolution after the days' talk.

Edward was drenched and shivering when they reached his house. She ordered him to the shower, fearing he'd get sick again (especially if Mr. Hall was spreading whatever he had to his students), to get himself warmed up and into dry clothes. He insisted she do the same, tossing her a pair of sweatpants that hung on her hips and dwarfed her feet, and a t-shirt she could have worn as a dress. She combed out her wet hair as he showered and piled it up in a messy bun before seeking out something simple she could fix for dinner.

A box of pasta and a jar of sauce from the pantry fit the bill, and she had a bowl ready for him when he emerged in flannel pants, a sweatshirt, heavy socks, and his glasses.

"You didn't have to cook for me," he said quietly, thanking her with a kiss to her cheek before he sat at the bar.

She shrugged. "I wanted to." She watched him eat with a small smile.

"Will I ever get to watch _you_ eat?" He asked innocently.

"No." She said flatly, in a tone she hoped broker no argument.

Edward flinched back from her. "O-okay."

She sighed. "I'm sorry, dear boy." She took his hand from across the bar. "It's just that – when we hunt, we give ourselves over to the animalistic side of our natures. It wouldn't be safe for you, even given my disability."

Edward nodded slowly, chewing. "Do you hunt often?"

"Every few days, as needed, now. I can go up to a couple of weeks, but lately I find that I need to hunt a bit more often," she explained with a wink. "I rarely go alone, so it depends on the family, though I try not to go out with one of the couples." She mimed an exaggerated shudder and Edward laughed. "It's all too easy to give into your baser desires when the control slips and the animal takes over," she whispered, and she'd seen and heard enough of her family's pursuits for a lifetime.

Edward laughed again and finished his supper, sliding from the stool to wash his bowl. "How should we spend the rest of our time together? My parents will be home tomorrow afternoon."

Bella smiled. "Will you play some more for me?"

"As you wish, love." Edward led her to the piano, turning lights off behind them.

Bella sat on the bench next to Edward while he played. He seemed so lost in the music that Bella wondered if he even remembered she was there. His upper body swayed slightly as the tempo increased, and she watched his hands fly over the keyboard as he coaxed music from the baby grand. When he finished he sat still, fingers still hovering over the keys as the last note hung in the house.

"That was gorgeous," she breathed. She traced his fingers with her fingertip. "Can you teach me? Not that, of course," she said quickly. "Just – how to play? I've always wanted to learn, but never seemed to."

Edward kissed her temple and shifted slightly down the bench, wrapping and arm around her waist and tugging her more toward the center. "Put your hands out," he said softly into her ear, nuzzling her gently.

She smiled and held her hands out, palm down.

Edward rose and stood behind her, his chest up against her back. His large hand covered her right. "Here," he instructed, and guided her right hand. "This is middle C," he said softly into her hair, pressing down her index finger and letting the note ring out. "that is the start of the scale, and the middle of the keyboard. It's this note on the page," he whispered, pointing with his left hand, his forearm brushing against her cheek as he reached around her, effectively enveloping her.

"The scale goes up," he continued, pressing her index finger down on each of the keys with his. "do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do," he said each note as the keys were depressed in order. "Or down." He ran it back through in reverse with her, slowly, his hand lingering over hers. "Concert b-flat scale," he whispered and kissed her temple again before lifting her hand from the keyboard and kissing the palm. "You try."

Bella found middle C easy enough and slowly made her way up the scale, and back down. That was the easy part.

Edward wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "show me middle c on the score, love."

Bella pointed at the note on the page and rewarded her with another light kiss to her temple.

"What's the next note?" He asked softly.

"Re," Bella answered, depressing the key on the piano. "Or-D?" She felt more than saw Edward's beaming smile.

"You sure you've never read music before?" Edward's voice was teasing.

"Not to play," Bella answered honestly. "Music appreciation classes and a tiny bit of music theory one of the times I went to college, but I've never really been able to play an instrument."

"Why not?" Edward's hands covered hers again, and settled her fingers against the keys, each of her fingers touching down on the keyboard.

Bella settled back against him, letting him guide her. "We have very good memories and very good pitch," Bella explained softly. "But patience with myself isn't always one of my best traits," she admitted. "And eidetic memory isn't enough when it comes to playing an instrument; you also have to have the heart to learn. That, and people seem to naturally shy away from us, which makes it hard for lessons."

Edward hummed an agreement. "Well, I'm very patient," he said softly, nuzzling her temple. "And in case you haven't noticed, I have no problem getting close to you."

Bella felt his smile against the top of her head. "I have noticed that, yes," she teased.

"Heart and soul," he whispered into her ear, guiding her hands through the simple melody once before adding the harmony line.

They played for hours until Bella realized that Edward's hands were shaking minutely and he was sagging against her, an unhealthy shade of grey. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, kissing his temple and rising from the bench. "I'm not used to spending so much time around someone that needs to eat as frequently as you do." She smiled softly as he waved off her apology.

"It's alright. It happens sometimes, when I get so caught up in what I'm doing that I forget." Edward kissed her cheek. "I'll be right back."

But Bella followed him into the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe as she watched him move around the space with a contained purpose. She watched as he drained a large glass of orange juice before putting together a half turkey sandwich. The color had returned to his face after he'd eaten, and Bella made a mental note to remember to feed him more often.

Edward cleaned up once more and took her hand. "I'm not sure I can do another night on the floor," he admitted shyly, pink staining his cheeks. "Will you come upstairs with me?"

Bella simply nodded and let him lead her once more to his room.

"I'll be right back," Edward said, squeezing her hand and disappearing into the attached bathroom again.

She nodded and wandered around the room, taking in the shelves of cds and vinyl on two of the room's four walls. He had an expansive collection that rivaled her own, and she smiled to see some of her old favorites amongst his collection.

Edward emerged a few minutes later, shutting the light off behind him and holding a hand out to Bella. She climbed onto the bed first, settling herself against the headboard, pulling a blanket into her lap and he smiled, following. He slid his glasses off and onto the table next to his bed. "You won't get bored watching me sleep?" he asked, already sounding more than half-way there.

"Of course not, dear boy," Bella whispered, combing through his mop of hair. "There's no place I'd rather be."

He hummed softly in contentment and snuggled down into her while she tucked the blanket between their bodies to keep him from getting chilled. "Sleep, beautiful boy," she whispered again, laughing quietly as he did just that. She hummed softly herself, the light bouncy melody of heart and soul as he slept peacefully in her arms.


	14. Chapter 14

**[note: I got a lot of reviews over on Twilighted calling me out on my horrible choice of endearment for Bella to call Edward. It led to some serious revision/reworking of this chapter, which was good, because it let me cover some things that I thought were missing anyway. It had been an unconscious choice on my part, and that goes to show that I should think about some of those things a bit more.]**

Bella left before noon on Sunday after helping Edward prepare a more hearty breakfast than he normal got when fending for himself. Despite her somewhat hazy memories of her human past, she was actually fairly skilled in the kitchen for not having cooked in a century. She had left with a promise to call later in the day, and with a lingering kiss that had made him very reluctant to let her go.

But he did, because he didn't have the extra recommended eight hours every night that she did, he had things he needed to do. So he did his laundry, tackled his homework, and practiced his piano. He had dinner with his parents after they returned with a relaxed glow about them from their long weekend away.

He had been concerned when Bella had wanted to talk to him on Saturday, but after she'd poured her heart out to him in the meadow, he'd just wanted to hold her and tell her that she did absolutely nothing wrong. Edward understood they came from different worlds, and that her perspective on what she'd done was vastly different from his own. Edward had grown up in a world where sex and love weren't necessarily linked together, and he realized that though Bella had been around for a very long time, some fundamental values just didn't change. He wasn't sure she'd completely believed him when he said it didn't matter, but he made a mental note to remind her whenever possible.

The conversation had also revealed to him that she wasn't as perfect as she seemed, and suddenly so much of her lack of confidence was understandable. She'd never been loved before, Edward understood suddenly, and she had been emotionally abused by someone who had claimed to love her. He wanted to do everything he could to show her that she was absolutely worth his love and attention, and that she wasn't the monster she felt herself to be.

Over the next several weeks, life fell into a comfortable pattern. Edward went to school, met Bella outside the music room after Jazz rehearsal, walked her to class, went to his own classes until lunch, ate "with" Bella and her family before biology, and collected Bella from outside the music room again after Orchestra in the afternoons. They went to his house together most days after school and studied, or talked, or played piano and just generally spent time together.

Edward found that he was truly happy. It shouldn't have come to him as a surprise, really. He was 17, and his life had been one of privilege so there wasn't a reason for him to have been unhappy. He just found that with Bella in his life, he no longer felt that there was something missing, and with her family found friends for the first time that he could really recall. Jasper mostly kept his distance, but Bella had explained that he didn't mean it personally, and Edward accepted that. Emmett honestly seemed to welcome his friendship and would sometimes join him and Bella after school to hang out.

February slipped into March, the Orchestra gave their spring concert (which Bella and Emmett attended) and the Jazz Band hosted their annual dinner/dance fundraiser (which the entire Cullen family had shown up for looking elegant and having a very good time from what Edward saw when he wasn't playing) and before Edward knew it, the spring semi-formal was only two weeks away and he hadn't discussed it with Bella.

He joined Bella and her siblings at lunch one Thursday two weeks before the dance. As usual, they all had trays in front of them that they didn't eat from, and it was becoming normal for Edward. Bella settled against his side with a small smile and he wrapped his arm around her waist, eating his lunch one handed. He leaned against her slightly, already feeling tired only halfway through his day; he hadn't been sleeping well, recently. He'd been having strange dreams that he couldn't remember when he woke on the nights that Bella didn't sleep over, and she hadn't been over since Sunday.

"Oh, Bella!" Alice suddenly started bouncing in her seat, clutching the breadstick she'd been tearing to pieces in an effort to look like she was eating. "We have to go shopping this weekend?"

Edward nearly laughed at the scowl that appeared on Bella's face. "Why?"

"We need new dresses for the semi-formal!"

Bella sighed. "I'm sure I already something that I can wear…"

Edward grinned and kissed the top of her head. He was glad he wouldn't have to do too much work to convince her to go with him.

"No! Bella," Alice said with a sigh. "Honestly. Have you learned nothing from me in the last fifty years?"

Bella rolled her eyes and Edward laughed quietly. Over the last few weeks he'd heard similar arguments. "Alice, if I wear something 'retro,' no one would even know that I'd worn it before."

"Bella." Alice pouted.

"No." Bella answered firmly. "I will find something in my closet. I'm not going shopping."

Edward fought a smile as Jasper drew Alice toward him, smirking a bit. "Fine," Alice grumped. "You are going though, right?"

Edward looked down at Bella as she glanced up at him. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes, and Edward had a feeling she'd probably end up shopping with Alice by the end of the week.

"Yes," Edward answered before Bella could pull whatever prank was running through her head. "We're going."

Bella's pout matched Alice's earlier one and Edward wondered who had taught whom the expression. Maybe he was wrong in his earlier assessment that he wouldn't have to convince her. "You don't want to go, love?" he asked quietly, taking a lock of her loose hair and playing with it between his fingers.

"I'm just not a big dancer," Bella answered quietly. "You may have noticed that even for being what I am, I'm still incredibly clumsy."

Edward and the rest of her family laughed quietly. It was true, Edward had noticed, that despite being a creature of mythical strength and grace, she had an alarming tendency to trip over things. "We've danced before," Edward reminded her, thinking of Valentine's Day. Though he remembered that he'd had to work at getting her on the dance floor at the Jazz band fundraiser the few times he was able to get Mr. Hall to sit in for him.

Bella nodded. "It was different."

Edward realized the source of her hesitancy. It was the setting, not the actual act of dancing. "It'll be fine, Bella," he assured her. "I'll make sure nothing happens."

She turned her gorgeous smile on him. "I know you will." She snuggled back into his side and the rest of lunch went by quickly as they all discussed their plans for the week and the upcoming dance.

Edward walked with Bella to biology once the bell rang, her cool hand tucked into his. The hour flew by and soon Bella was off to gym with Alice and Edward met Emmett in the hall on the way to Spanish.

"Dude," Emmett greeted him.

"What?" Edward asked, grinning up at his hulk of a friend.

"How'd you get Bella agree to go to the dance with you?" Emmett asked. "I could barely manage to get her to save me one at each of mine of Rosalie's weddings."

Edward shrugged, smiling. "She loves me."

"That she does, brother," Emmett laughed, clapping him on the back. "That she does."

"Wait," Edward said, stopping in the hall. "Did you just say weddings? Plural."

Emmett's laughter ricocheted off the lockers while Edward stared at him. "Yeah," Emmett said. "We've gone through," he paused and thought for a moment. "five ceremonies by now." He shrugged. "It depends on where we are. We'll probably have another one in a couple years, about halfway through 'college'," Emmett said.

Edward heard the quotation marks around the word college. He'd just assumed that they would go after they finished the school year, like he (and presumably Bella) would do after graduation the following summer. He knew they didn't need to go, and it once again reminded him of the differences between him and his love.

They were there, the differences, and Edward wasn't completely ignorant of them. Sometimes the realization just sort of blindsided him, that he and Bella were from completely different worlds that happened to collide in the small town of Forks. He wouldn't change it; he loved _her_, vampire or not. So her skin was colder, and her eyes were different, and she drank blood. Edward honestly didn't care. She was perfect for him; she made him laugh, she didn't let him get lost in his own little world, she made him feel complete. Bella didn't make him feel like an outsider because he'd rather focus on music, and she didn't make him feel like a freak because his body processed sugars differently, and she didn't want him to be anything that he wasn't. She loved _him_, not because he was new, or because he was a pretty face, and that made him love her all the more. He wanted to be with her forever.

He knew that their definitions of 'forever' were different. She literally had forever. Edward, as it currently stood, could count on seventy more years if he was lucky. Or perhaps unlucky, his thoughts wandered through Spanish while they watched a film. The subject of forever had not yet been broached by them, but Edward knew that there'd never be another woman for him. However, he also knew they had time, and he was in no rush to raise the question, mostly because he had a feeling Bella wouldn't respond completely positively. He needed the time to think about how best to bring it up and to line up all his arguments, because he was pretty sure that the discussion would quickly turn into a fight, and they both could have issues with their tempers.

But he knew that she loved him, even if he wasn't sure exactly why. He knew why he loved her, but it was clear from the way the entire school had reacted to her presence that she could have anyone he wanted. It wasn't that he doubted her when she said she loved him, he just didn't know what she saw in him. He didn't mind that she called him her 'dear boy' though sometimes it made him feel keenly aware of their age differences. Though they were both physically seventeen, Edward was aware of the gulf of experience that separated them, and the weekend's revelations hadn't dulled that knowledge any.

Before he knew it, class was over and Emmett was waving at him over his shoulder, hooking up with Rose. Edward shook his head to clear it and trudged off to orchestra rehearsal. He knew Bella was waiting for him outside the building, though Mr. Hall had repeatedly invited her in to take one of the chairs that lined the walls. With the last concert behind them, Mr. Hall was working through some more sight reading to sort out some of the chart options and let them go early.

"Hey, love," Edward greeted Bella, who sat, as expected, against the wall, legs curled under her, a book in her lap.

"Hello," she answered with a smile, accepting the hand he offered to tug her up. She had dressed more casually in dark jeans, which she brushed off as she stood and bent to grab her bag, a sweater and boots. She kissed his cheek lightly. "How was rehearsal?"

Edward shrugged, lifting her bag from her shoulder (she was more than capable of carrying it, he knew, but he liked doing it and it was helping to present her as more human). "It was alright. I'm just ready to go home."

She frowned slightly, eyes narrowing. "Are you feeling alright?" She cupped his cheek in her cool palm and he turned his face and nuzzled her hand gently.

"I'm fine. Just tired. It's been a long week." He kissed her palm and she giggled quietly, letting her hand drop until their fingers twined together.

"Alright," she agreed quietly. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked as they started toward his car, as they did nearly every afternoon.

Edward felt his ears grow warm. "Could you stay tonight?" he asked quietly. "I haven't been sleeping well." He'd been thinking too much again, more of the thoughts he'd been having throughout the day, and they'd left him restless.

Bella rose on tiptoe to kiss him gently. "Of course," she said with a smile. "You have only to ask."

He returned the smile and kissed her forehead. "Thank you."

"Silly boy," Bella whispered before she pulled away and slid into her seat. "I don't mind staying over. I just don't want you feel like I'm smothering you by being around all the time."

"You're not smothering me." Edward fastened his seat belt and started the car, navigating through the parking lot onto the highway. He leaned over and kissed her cheek while he paused at a stop sign. "But I understand if you need some alone time, as well."

Bella smiled softly at him. "I love you, Edward. Of course I always want to spend time with you. But we're separate people, too," she took his right hand loosely in hers. "And I'm very new at this, so you may have to remind me if there's something you want." She brought their hands to her lips and kissed the back of his. "I promise to tell you if I need time alone, other than for hunting."

Watching her hunt had been a non-negotiable issue, and Edward didn't mind. "I think I can handle that. And I will, too."

"Good. Now," Bella smirked at him. "Do you want to stay at my house tomorrow night? Emmett's been whining about a video game marathon."

Edward laughed. Emmett really was just a big child sometimes. "Sure, sounds like fun. Are you girls going shopping?"

Bella sighed and growled softly under her breath."Apparently, Lauren will be wearing a dress that's a knock-off reproduction of the dress I was going to wear, so yes, Alice has convinced me I must go shopping. Hopefully we'll only be a few hours, though, and I'm sure Emmett and Jasper will keep you busy with the game war."

"Jasper will be okay with that?" Edward asked with a small frown. He didn't spend as much time around the blonde vampire after Bella explained that he wasn't as comfortable in his control as he felt he should be.

Bella nodded. "Yes. I asked him before they left and he said he'd be alright. We'll only be gone a few hours, Alice promised."

"So long as everyone's okay with it, I'd love to spend the day with the boys." Edward smiled as he pulled into his driveway.

"They will be thrilled to hear to it," Bella snarked dryly, kissing his cheek as Edward laughed.

Edward's parents weren't home, not that he expected them to be. His mother's practice had picked up slightly in the last month, and Edward was worried that his father had slipped into some old working habits and was pushing things too hard again. He was gone to Seattle or Portland more often to lecture at law schools, but he hadn't cut back on his own practice any, meaning he was working long hours again.

Bella perched on the counter as usual and watched him make and eat his afternoon snack of an apple, cheese, peanut butter and some crackers (not the cheese and peanut butter together). She wrinkled her nose in that adorable way that told him that she found his food repulsive, and he laughed and kissed her nose before they went up to study.

"Can I ask you something?" Edward asked from his desk, not looking up from his math homework.

"Of course." Bella was lounging on his bed, shuffling through Edward's iPod.

Edward took a deep breath and asked the question that had been dancing through his head since Spanish class. "Why are you with me?" he asked in a whisper, knowing she'd hear him, feeling his ears heat up. He heard the bed shift, but didn't hear her approach and suddenly she was perched on the edge of his desk.

"Edward," she said softly.

He had to look up. Her expression was mostly serious, but there was a soft look in her eyes.

"You make me feel whole," she answered simply.

For some reason, those five words were enough, and Edward let his breath out in a gusty sigh, and felt her arms go around him. He rested his forehead against her cool shoulder and she played with his hair. They sat there quietly, though Edward could almost feel that she was burning to ask another question.

"Thank you," Edward said, sitting up and kissing her softly. "I just needed a bit of reassurance."

"Did something happen today?"

Edward shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary. I guess I just had too much time to think, and I was remembering our conversation in the meadow a few weeks ago and I just…" he trailed off and he shrugged.

"Talk to me, Edward," Bella urged quietly, sliding from his desk and guiding him to the bed, where they curled up together.

Edward took a long strand of her hair between his fingers and played with it idly. "Sometimes I'm just all too aware of the differences between us," he began quietly. "You've seen and done so much more than I have, and I wonder how I can ever be enough for you."

He felt her arms tighten around him. "You make me happier than I have been in as long as I can remember," she said quietly into his ear. "You accept me and _want_ me despite the danger it puts you in. You have forgiven me my sins without question." She kissed him softly. "You make me feel human again when I'm with you," she said shyly. "You are more than I ever dreamed of."

Edward's eyes closed, feeling something in him ease at her words, though there was still a part of him that remained unsettled. "I never dreamed I would meet anyone like you, either. But sometimes I just wonder how you see me," he explained softly. "And sometimes I'm not sure that you see me as anything more than a child, or a novelty, that you won't eventually tire of."

"Edward," she breathed, her sweet smelling breath washing over him and he leaned into her more fully. She cupped his face in her hands. "I'm sorry that I ever made you feel that way."

He shook his head, lifting her hands from his cheeks and holding them in his own. "You didn't do it on purpose. I'm not sure it was even conscious on your part. You've never made me feel stupid or inferior or anything, just young, and it's awkward, because the feelings I have for you don't work when I feel like a child with you." He felt his ears heat up as he said it, hinting at the sexual attraction he felt for her, that he'd not acted on, in part because of her past, and in part because of his own insecurities about their relationship.

Bella smiled sadly, turning their hands so she was holding his. "You're right. I love you, as an equal, my partner, and I should make sure to treat you that way." She kissed him softly. "Because otherwise, I couldn't do that, and I think I'd miss it."

Edward smiled against her lips and kissed her back. "So, even though I love you, can we limit the 'dear boy' comments?" he asked, meeting her golden eyes, sure the entreaty was written across his face. "Because I would miss this too." And he kissed her again.

"Of course, Edward," she answered softly, a note of sadness in her voice. "I hadn't realized…"

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it too much." He smiled and kissed her again. "You shared your insecurities with me," he explained. "Which took a lot of trust on your part. I had to do the same. No relationship is free of problems, and I'll admit ours are pretty unique," he said, grinning as he nudged her. "We're taking interracial dating to the extreme, y'know."

Bella laughed, a light hearted sound that reminded him of wind chimes.

"We'll work through it," he said firmly. He supposed he could have taken the conversation to its logical conclusion giving his fears, about their possible future together, but his mother chose that moment to announce herself, running the moment, and Edward wasn't sure he was ready for more emotional upheaval at that point.

"Edward, I'm home!" she called up.

"We'll be right down, Mom," he yelled back.

Edward kissed Bella again sweetly, shifting a bit so he could cup her cold cheek in his hand. She smiled back at him and nodded, and they slid off the bed hand in hand, laughing as they got tangled up and Bella ended up on the floor with a thunk.

"Are you alright?" he heard his mom call from downstairs.

Edward chuckled and helped Bella up. "Yeah, Bella's just being her normal klutzy self," he called back down. They headed downstairs hand in hand, finding his mom in the kitchen, preparing to make dinner.

"Hello, sweetheart, Bella. Are you alright?" His mom looked over her shoulder from in front of the fridge as he perched on a bar stool and Bella stood between his legs, resting against his chest.

"I'm fine," Bella said with a laugh. "Just tripped over myself again."

"So, Edward, your dad and I will be going to Port Angeles a week from Saturday," she said as she rummaged, emerging with a half a head of lettuce, a couple of tomatoes, part of an onion and the block of cheese Edward had cut his snack from. He saw the can of black beans on the counter and deduced it was going to be burrito night. "Bella, will you be joining us for dinner tonight?"

His mom always invited Bella if she was there, and his girlfriend mostly found excuses.

"No thank you, Mrs. Masen. Esme's asked me home for supper tonight.

"Please Bella, you can call me Liz," Edward's mom responded. "Edward?"

"Hm?" he answered, toying with Bella's hair again. "Oh, Port Angeles, right."

"We'll probably be back late if we come home at all. The Community Playhouse is doing a bunch of one act plays, and your father is taking me to dinner." She pulled a pouch of Mexican rice from the pantry and skimmed down the directions.

"It's okay. There's a dance at school that night, and I'll probably stay over with Bella," Edward explained. Either he and Bella would end up back at his house or at hers with her siblings for a movie night after the dance.

His mom turned around and fixed them with a look. "With Bella?"

Oops, Edward thought, fighting a smile as he felt Bella's stifled laughter as her shoulders shook. "And her family," he clarified quickly. Remember Emmett? From the Shakespeare project?" He prompted. He thought they'd met once before.

"Oh, that big goofy kid?" His mom asked, turning back around and pulling out a skillet.

Edward and Bella both laughed at her assessment. "Yes, him. He's one of Bella's brothers, and I'll probably hang out with them, if that's alright?" He didn't need to give his mom the wrong idea about him and Bella, that they weren't intimate because Bella could kill him very easily. His parents loved Bella, (Edward had known they would), but they still had ground rules, no matter how much they trusted their son.

"Esme will be there, Liz," Bella added, and Edward gave her a squeeze.

"Sure, Edward, that's fine."

He could hear the smile in her voice. She was just happy he'd finally started making friends, he knew that. He also knew that she was beyond ecstatic that he finally had a girlfriend, even though she didn't show it much.

"Thanks, mom. Oh, they've also invited me over tomorrow night for a video game marathon. Do you mind if I go straight there after school?" He brushed some non-existent lint from the thigh of his jeans.

"Not at all. Should I bake some cookies or something for you to take?" She looked over her shoulder at him and beamed.

Bella smiled and shook her head.. "That's alright, Liz. Esme is practically Martha Stewart incarnate," she said.

Edward grinned and kissed the top of her head. "I'll be home sometime on Saturday, I think."

"Just call us if you want to stay longer, Edward," she answered as she started chopping the onion.

Edward nodded and slid off his stool, giving Bella a hug. "I will. I'm going to show Bella out and then I'm going to go practice until dinner."

"Alright, sweetheart." She was focused on dinner by that point. "It was nice seeing you again, Bella."

"You too," Bella echoed as she took Edward's hand.

Edward led her to the door, then folded her into her arms and held her close.

"I'll be back in a few hours," she said softly.

"I know." But he didn't really want to let her go.

"Edward," she said softly on a laugh. She backed out of his embrace and tiptoed up to kiss him softly. "I'll see you later."

He nodded, kissed her forehead, and watched her sprint off into the forest. Once she was out of sight, he moved to his piano. The outside world quickly faded as Edward sat at his piano and played until he was called for dinner. His father hadn't come home yet, so he had a quiet meal with his mom and returned upstairs to watch a little television before finishing his homework.

Edward was beginning to work on his Spanish homework during commercials when Bella leapt easily through his second story window.

"Hi," she greeted him, glancing at the TV. "Oh, Eleventh Hour," she said, dropping her bag and joining him on the bed.

Edward laughed quietly and kissed her cheek as she settled down beside him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Bella whispered. She nestled against him, resting her head on his chest over his heartbeat and he played with the loose ends of her hair while they finished the show. When it was over, and his Spanish homework was done, Edward reached for his reading that he'd stacked on the corner of his bed and they sat in companionable silence as Bella pulled out her own course work.

When Edward's mom came up to say goodnight, Bella ducked into into Edward's bathroom, emerging in her lounge clothes, a pair of loose pants and a tank top. Edward met her halfway across the room and slowly tugged her into a searing kiss. "You're gorgeous," he whispered against her lips.

"You're biased," she returned with a smirk, kissing him again before he went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

When Edward emerged from the bathroom, she was settled against the wall, the covers already turned back for him and the lights turned down, save the reading lamp by his bed. He settled down to read, cuddled up against Bella who lightly stroked through his hair as she read. Edward managed to get through the required chapters before his eyes grew heavy and he heard Bella's musical laugh behind him as she slipped his glasses off and eased him down into the first peaceful sleep he'd had that week.

He woke the next morning to soft humming and those fingers stroking through his unruly hair once again. Edward blinked his eyes open slowly and blearily focused on Bella's face above him, a soft smile playing on her lips. She leaned forward and kissed him gently. "Good morning," she whispered.

"It certainly is when it starts like this," Edward replied. He stretched slowly before sitting up. He kissed her quickly then slid from the bed to take care of pressing matters, and step into the shower. Edward lingered under the hot water, letting it wake him up a bit. He was still half-hard, his morning wood not having fully diminished, but he ignored it, unwilling to indulge while Bella was in the next room and could hear everything. He wasn't a total prude, but it was embarrassing, especially in light of the conversation they'd had the previous evening about their feelings for each other.

He dried quickly and wrapped the towel around his hips, though is hair dripped down onto his shoulders. Bella was unabashedly staring at him when he padded back into his room to his bureau and fished a clean pair of boxers from the top drawer. "See something you like, love?" he asked casually as he shimmied into his underwear and dropped the towel.

"Mm," she muttered with a smile, raking her gaze over his body.

Edward felt himself flush under the attention, and then regretted not having taken care of business in the shower.

Bella giggled, slapping her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry, Edward, I shouldn't laugh," she said softly. "It's alright, you know," she teased lightly. "You do remember I live with three couples who are very committed to each other and have very healthy sex lives?"

"Oh, God, Bella," Edward said, clapping his hands over his eyes. "I so didn't need that mental picture." He didn't hear her approach, but he wasn't surprised to feel cold arms wrap around his waist from behind.

"Edward." Her voice was serious behind him, and he turned, wanting to have this conversation face to face, even if a certain part of his anatomy was still causing problems. He wrapped his arms around her hips and stared into her golden eyes.

"Edward," she said again, softly. "I know we haven't done much, sexually," she continued, "and I think that's mostly me. We haven't been together for long, and it's not that I don't want to be with you," she rambled. "It's just a matter of control. I _think_ I am, in control, but I want to go slow. I couldn't bear it if I hurt you, Edward." She kissed his naked chest lightly. "I'm not opposed to trying things, and I know you've got your own needs, and I don't want you to think I don't want to be like that with you and-"

Edward cut her off with a soft kiss. "It's alright, love," he assured her in a whisper. "I'm not sure I'm ready for us to have sex," he said honestly. "I'm okay with the intimacy we have, but I'm okay with exploring a bit more if _you're_ comfortable with it," he said. The last thing he wanted to do was rush her into an experience, knowing how she thought of her own past.

He watched her expression shift from serious to playful. "So if I wanted to do this," she said, a smirk playing on her face as the fingers of one hand dipped into the waistband of his boxers and he hissed at the feel of her against his overheated flesh. "It'd be okay?"

"Bella," he warned softly, but his body betrayed him and he reacted to her touch. He whispered direction to her, barely any space between their bodies as her hand worked over him, bringing him to a shuddering climax that almost brought him to his knees, overwhelmed by the scent and feel of her against him. He was breathing heavily as his forehead came to rest on her shoulder and her left hand brushed through his hair as he rode it out.

"Need another shower?" she teased lightly, reaching for the towel to clean them both off. She was gentle as she wiped his chest and kissed his chin gently when she was done, taking the towel to the hamper and ducking into the bathroom to wash her hands and try to clean up her tank top.

He laughed quietly and joined her, getting a cloth wet under the faucet in the sink and wiping himself down. "No, I think I'll be alright." He stopped what he was doing and drew her close for a deep and lingering kiss. "You didn't have to do that," he said softly, nuzzling her temple. "But I liked it." He kissed her again.

She ducked her head, and he swore she would have blushed if she could. "I'm glad," she whispered.

He hugged her, not wanting things to get awkward. "So, that kind of experimentation is definitely okay." He kissed her again and whispered in her ear. "And definitely didn't make me feel like a kid," he teased.

It worked, and Bella laughed, and then whimpered softly as he nipped at the flesh just below her ear. He kissed her again and left her to get changed as he went to find his own wardrobe for the day. Jeans, long-sleeved t-shirt and a hoodie made up his uniform, and Bella popped out of the bathroom dressed in slacks, low heels and a pretty blue blouse. Some days he just felt like a total slob next to her.

"You're going to be late," Bella whispered in his ear, perched next to him on the bed while he pulled on his socks and sneakers. "I'll pack a bag for you and meet you at school, if that's alright?"

"Sure, love, that's fine." He kissed her gently, grabbed his messenger bag and threw in his books. "I'll see you in a bit." He dashed down the stairs, grabbed a bagel and was out the door and into the Volvo in a few minutes. He made it to rehearsal with three minutes to spare.

The day passed quickly and unremarkably and Edward soon found himself driving to the Cullen house and arguing about music with Bella. They were still picking holes in each other's arguments as they entered the house to Jasper carrying a second television into the room and Alice arranging the seats in the optimal pattern for viewing and play.

Edward carried his bag up to Bella's room while the family argued good naturedly downstairs about the tournament. He paused at the bottom of the stairs and watched them interact, smiling. He felt lucky to have been welcomed so heartily into the family; he'd sometimes wished for a brother or sister or two, someone to hang out with and share things with, and he'd finally found that in his girlfriend's family.

"Hello, Edward dear," Esme said, approaching from the hall.

"Hi, Esme," he answered with a smile.

"Come to join the fun and games?" Her smile was soft and fond as she watched her children.

"Don't know how well I'll be able to keep up, but I'm going to try," he promised. "Emmett needs to be knocked down a peg or two."

Esme laughed and Emmett bellowed at him. "Don't hold your breath, Edward! I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Emmett McCarty Cullen!" Esme scolded.

"Sorry, ma," Emmett retorted and Edward laughed, not hearing a note of sincerity in his voice as Esme shook her head.

"Have a good evening, Edward. There's plenty of food in the kitchen, please help yourself. Carlisle and I are headed out this evening, but we'll be back in the morning. I believe there is 'male bonding' planned," she said with a smirk.

Edward laughed again. "Thanks, Esme."

"No need to thank me, dear." With that, Esme gave him another soft smile and patted his arm gently and disappeared back down the hall where he understood her and Carlisle's room to be.

"Edward!" Alice chirped from the couches. "Emmett's getting antsy, so get yourself over here already!"

Edward joined the Cullen kids in front of the two televisions and their evening of games kicked off. They all rotated through games, tournament style, and around 1 am Edward and Rosalie were battling out for championship of Mario Kart, to Edward's surprise. He hadn't expected to make it through the first couple rounds, but it turned out that he had at least one thing in common with the vampire family – he liked to drive, and he liked to drive fast, and that seemed to give him an advantage, even lacking their reflexes. He'd learned later that Bella had used her shield on Alice and Jasper, taking away their advantages.

Not enough of one, however, as Rose won handily, much to Edward's disappointment. The kiss he got from Bella more than made up for the loss, though, and he'd lose every game if she'd keep kissing him like that, though he'd pass on the catcalls from the rest of them. Bella laughed quietly and nestled against him, her nose pressed against his throat and he nuzzled the top of her head. He didn't feel in any danger from her, despite the way she was positioned against him.

They started off a new tournament, thankfully choosing a game Edward held no interest in, since he fell asleep on the couch cuddled up to Bella before his heat.

When he woke the next morning, unsurprised to learn that Emmett had swept the previous nine hours of game play and the girls had already left for their shopping excursion. Edward fixed himself a quick breakfast of cereal and used Bella's room to shower and change and put in his contacts before rejoining the guys.

They spent the day playing Halo, Carlisle joining in when he and Esme returned from their night out. The girls came home and the game slowly broke up as each of them drifted away to spend time with their mates. Bella guided Edward back upstairs and they just laid together and listened to music for awhile, before he decided he should head home to do homework and laundry and perhaps spend time with his parents.

He spent the rest of the weekend quietly at home, though he and Bella (and Emmett when he stole Bella's phone at one point) texted back and forth.

The week leading up to the dance passed fairly quickly. The school buzzed with excitement a bit more each day; it wasn't prom, but it was a dance and a chance to get dressed up. Edward, despite having Bella on his arm most days, was still fending off advances from girls to be their dates. Bella thought it was hilarious. Edward was just annoyed.

Saturday arrived and Edward heaved a sigh of relief and remaining unmolested by the female population of Forks High. Well, nearly, he smiled, remembering some of the 'experimentation' he and Bella had done. He was more than alright taking things slowly, he decided, as they'd spent time gradually learning each other's bodies. Even in their limited time, Edward had discovered erogenous zones he didn't know he had.

As instructed, he was at Bella's at 6:30 on Saturday evening. He made sure to eat before, since he wasn't taking her out for dinner. He wore black slacks and a maroon dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up half-way up his forearms and his leather jacket. He had one pair of nice shoes that he slipped on (with black socks of course), and he slid out of his car in front of the Cullen house at 6:25.

"Yo, Edward!" Emmett greeted him from the porch. He was dressed in khaki slacks and a light blue button up shirt and shiny black shoes and was sans jacket.

"Hey, Emmett," he returned, climbing the stairs. "What's up, man?"

"We're supposed to make an entrance," Emmett replied, rolling his eyes as Jasper came out on the porch as well, dressed in something closer to a suit, though the knot on the tie was loose and the top button on his shirt was undone and his jacket was tossed over his shoulder. "Alice wanted this to be a proper date."

"I see," Edward said dryly and the guys laughed. They waited a couple minutes until it was 6:30 on the dot and Emmett grumbled under his breath and rolled his eyes before ringing the bell.

"Girls, your dates are here!" Carlisle was laughing as he opened the door and Edward smirked as he watched the blonde vampire attempt to school his face into one of a father of teenage girls meeting their dates for the dance and fail miserably. "I'm supposed to ask you boys what your intentions are toward my daughters," he said, still chuckling. "But since two of you are married already to my daughters, I guess that means it's just you, Edward."

Edward chewed on the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing. "Sir, I assure you my intentions toward your daughter are nothing but honorable." The snickers from beside him didn't help him keep a straight face.

"Oh, what the hell," Carlisle said, laughing. "You kids have a good time tonight. I'm working overnight at the hospital, so I'll see you all tomorrow." Still laughing, he departed, and Edward heard his car take off down the driveway.

Edward heard footsteps on the stairs and turned a moment after Emmett and Jasper had. His breath caught in his throat. Bella was gorgeous in a maroon cocktail dress and matching heels. The dress had spaghetti straps and she'd pulled her hair back off her face in an elegant twist. She wore a simple pendant around her neck, a single gemstone that lay perfectly in the hollow of her throat and sparkled along with the matching earrings she wore.

"You look amazing, love," he said reverently as he pulled her close for a kiss.

"So do you," she whispered. "I like that color on you." She rose on tiptoe to kiss him again.

"Are you ready?" He took her coat from her and helped her into it.

She nodded and took his hand. They were all taking separate cars, in case they ended up separated throughout the night or they decided to go somewhere else.

Edward held Bella's hand the whole ride to the high school and they chatted about nothing really of consequence over the soft music from Edward's iPod.

They met up with the others at the school, Alice practically bouncing in place despite Jasper's hand in hers as they waited for the whole group to be together. Edward brandished his and Bella's tickets and they were swept into the gym with the rest of the school. He hung his and Bella's jackets on the rack provided and took her hand again and they made their way through to a table set up against the wall with a good view of the dance floor.

The DJ was actually playing fairly decent music and Alice and Jasper and Rosalie and Emmett wasted no time joining the small group of dancers already on the dance floor. Edward tugged a semi-reluctant Bella out to join them and Edward found that Bella danced better than she gave herself credit for, when she didn't let herself think about who was watching or if she didn't get overly self-conscious.

They danced on and off for a couple hours until Edward needed a break. The room had filled with most of the population of the school and it was starting to get a little stifling in the room. He grabbed some punch and moved to the table where they'd laid cameras and phones and watched Alice scramble up to the DJ and whisper in his ear. The young man (probably a community college student from Port Angeles) nodded enthusiastically and said something back. Alice bounced away and went to claim her siblings.

"Alright you cats, here's an oldie but goodie requested by Alice Cullen!"

Edward laughed when YMCA was piped over the sound system and his girlfriend and her brothers and sisters got into the act, lining up like the Village People and did the whole act for the song. They had the whole room joining in on the chorus and even though he knew Bella had to be dying a little bit at being the focus of the whole room, he could clearly see she was having a good time

Edward was laughing quietly at the antics of Bella and her siblings when he felt her phone ring on the table at his elbow. He glanced at it and answered when he saw it was Carlisle.

"Bella's phone, this is Edward," he answered, still laughing.

"Edward, son, it's Carlisle."

Edward immediately stopped laughing as he suddenly felt cold at the gentle tone of Bella's father's voice. He was already halfway out of the chair, looking around quickly.

"You need to come to the hospital. There's been an accident. Your parents-"

"No," Edward whispered and he dropped the phone.

**[note: I've gone easy on the cliff-hangers, so hopefully you'll forgive me on this one. I'll try to resolve it soon.]**


	15. Chapter 15

Bella heard Edward's anguished whisper from across the room and turned in time to see him drop the phone. She rushed to his side, not caring if anyone was watching and helped him sit. "Carlisle?" She asked after looking at the caller ID.

"Bella," Carlisle said quietly. "I need you bring Edward to the hospital."

"What happened?" Bella located her purse and waved at Alice.

"His father had another heart attack. He died instantly," Carlisle answered quietly and Bella thought she could hear weariness in his voice. "He crashed and his mother is in critical condition. She's on life support and we're not confident she's going to make it. She was asking for him." He paused. "She doesn't have much time."

"You can't change her?" Bella asked, offering Edward the only comfort she could as she heard his breathing become labored, combing her fingers slowly through his hair trying to help calm him while looking for Jasper.

"She wouldn't survive it," Carlisle said sadly. "If I thought there was a chance, I would've, Bella."

"I know," she assured him. "We'll be there as soon as we can." Bella closed the phone as Alice appeared with their coats, Jasper on her heels. Bella felt a wave of calm crash over her and heard Edward sigh softly as he calmed slightly. She gave her brother a nod of thanks which he returned sadly.

"We'll meet you there, if Edward wants us." Alice gave Bella a brief hug and Edward a longer one before Jasper took his turn with Bella and gave Edward a supportive hand on his shoulder and stooped to whisper in his ear. At Edward's nod, Jasper stood and Edward's eyes closed at the touch and Bella knew that Jasper had asked and been given permission to give Edward a bit of emotional support.

Behind her, she could feel Rosalie and Emmett, and she turned, Emmett looking sad for his friend, holding Rose close. She nodded at them and took their coats from Alice, turning her attention back to her boyfriend, who needed her support more than anything.

"Edward?" Bella knelt next to him and cupped his cheek in her hand. "I'm so sorry," she said quietly. They sat that way for a few minutes until Edward appeared to come back to himself and looked her in the eyes. He looked so lost. Bella tugged him to her so she could embrace him and she caught one small sob before he quashed it.

"Carlisle needs us to get to the hospital," she said quietly as she helped him stand and draped his coat over his shoulders. "Your mom's on life support," she told him honestly as she filched his keys from his pocket. There was no way she was letting him drive. "I'd never lie to you," she said quietly. "It doesn't look good for her, but I know you'd want to see her."

He nodded stiffly. "My dad?" He was clutching her hand like his life depended on it, and she realized in that moment that it probably did.

It broke Bella's non-beating heart to hear him sounding so small and scared. "I'm sorry, Edward," she whispered. "Carlisle said he had a heart attack and died instantly."

Edward nodded again. Bella released his hand just long enough to get him settled into the passenger seat of his car and she _ran_ back to the driver's side and slid in behind the wheel where she helped him fasten his seatbelt and took his hand again.

They arrived at the hospital in a matter of minutes with Bella pushing the car as fast as she could through town. She parked in visitor's parking, and led Edward inside. She gave his hand a light squeeze as they stepped through the automatic doors and saw Carlisle in scrubs waiting for them at the information desk.

Edward held Bella's hand so hard she knew that were she human, she'd have bruises.

Carlisle didn't hesitate before embracing Edward with one arm, tugging the boy against his side so he wouldn't have to let go of Bella. Back in public, Bella could see Edward was trying to retain the calm that Jasper had passed to him, but she could also tell that he was beginning to break apart at the edges.

"Can I see her?" Edward whispered once Carlisle had released him.

"Of course." Carlisle started to lead them back. "I have to warn you, son, she's not in good shape."

Bella noticed that Edward didn't flinch at Carlisle's endearment (her father had more or less already welcomed Edward as another of his adopted children, and it seemed that in that moment he would need that relationship more than ever).

"She's on a ventilator at the moment," he continued to explain, "and we haven't taken her to surgery yet, so it looks gruesome. She's unconscious, to help manage the pain."

Edward nodded, pale and suddenly looking so young and vulnerable to Bella's eyes. "My father?" he whispered. It was almost as if he was afraid to raise his voice, Bella thought.

Bella felt Carlisle's hesitation, but she knew he wasn't one to lie simply to spare feelings. "You'll need to identify him, Edward," the doctor said. "Since you're next of kin. It can wait, however, until you're ready."

Edward nodded again slowly and they stopped outside a trauma room. Bella gave his hand an encouraging (but light) squeeze before Carlisle led them in.

The room was quiet, even to Bella's ears, save the scratch of a pen against paper as a nurse took notes in Mrs. Masen's chart, and the sounds of machinery that was keeping her boyfriend's mother alive. Edward stopped just inside the door and Bella felt him shudder. She took only what breaths she needed to be able to speak, the room smelling heavily of blood and medicine and despair and it made her almost feel physically ill.

"I'm here, Edward," she said softly in his ear. "You're not alone." She wouldn't insult his intelligence by giving him platitudes or promises she couldn't keep. If Carlisle couldn't turn her, there was little chance she'd survive the surgery she needed. Carlisle had asked them here so Edward could say goodbye.

Bella felt Carlisle move behind her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head and watched him squeeze Edward's shoulder. "I have another patient to check on," he said. "I'll give you a few minutes."

Carlisle slipped out and Edward tugged on Bella's hand until she was standing in front of him, her back to his chest and he was leaning heavily on her. They didn't move, save to step away from the door for the nurse to exit a moment later, only to return a moment after that with a chair.

Bella nodded her thanks to the woman, Shelley, she remembered, and guided Edward into it at his mother's side, taking up position behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders. He trembled beneath her hands and she focused on pouring as much love and support into the touch as she could, despite lacking Jasper's talents for such things. They remained that way in silence, until a shrill noise pierced the room and Carlisle, Shelley and two younger doctors Bella didn't recognize rushed into the room.

Effortlessly, Bella pulled Edward, chair and all, out of the way so they could work. No one noticed; they were too focused on Mrs. Masen. She perched on the arm of the chair and let Edward wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her close and burying his face against her shoulder.

"What's happening?" Edward's voice was rough with unshed tears and emotion as he and Bella watched.

"Her heart was under too much strain from the accident," Carlisle explained between orders to the others in the room. "She's lost a lot of blood and she has a lot of internal bleeding. Her body is losing the fight," he said, a note of sadness in his voice.

Edward fell silent after that, and gave a shuddering sigh when the alarm was silenced and Carlisle stepped back with a weak smile. "We've got her stabilized again," he said, waiting for the others to step out. Once the room was clear again, he knelt in front of Edward. "Edward?" Carlisle asked gently. "Do you know what your mother would have wished?"

Edward nodded, and Bella could see his eyes were bright with unshed tears. She once again stood behind him and rested her hands lightly on her shoulders, repeating her earlier action of pouring as much love and support into her touch as possible, mentally chanting how much she loved him and would be there for him.

"If my father is not available to make decisions for her care," Edward whispered harshly, "she has a DNR request in their papers, at my dad's office. There's a copy at home, in his study."

"Do you mind, if I send Emmett for them?" Carlisle asked.

Edward shook his head slowly. Bella kissed the top of his head lightly as Carlisle stepped out. "Bella," Edward whispered, his voice breaking as he no longer held back his sobs.

She didn't say anything as she moved in front of him, easily lifting him from the chair and settling him on her lap and held him as he cried into her shoulder. She rocked him slightly, humming quietly as she acted as his rock. His breathing slowly evened out though she could still feel tears soak her shoulder. Carlisle checked in on them once and quickly told her what was happening as she consoled her boyfriend. She rubbed his back and he slumped against her.

Bella thought he'd fallen asleep when he spoke quietly, his warm breath over her skin nearly making her shiver. "What happens now?"

She kissed the top of his head and hugged him a bit tighter, careful not to hurt him. "Emmett is reviewing your parents' papers," she said quietly. "He's just double checking that everything is in order and up to date."

Edward lifted his head and fixed her with a confused look and she smiled at him patiently. "Emmett's the most recent of us to complete law school; he passed the bar in Minnesota a couple years ago."

"Oh." Edward settled against her again. "Remind me to thank him later."

"Don't worry about it," Bella said, resuming her gentle touches through his hair and down his back. She took an unnecessary deep breath, managing not to wince at the harsh scents that assaulted her and continued. "There will be arrangements to make, of course." She tried to speak calmly and she knew she was just pushing aside her own feelings for the moment. She didn't know Edward's parents very well, but seeing Edward so broken was hurting her, and she mourned herself for the two people who had raised him and who she had come to view as her own surrogate parents, his mother was so kind to her. Edward didn't need to deal with her emotions, too. She would grieve later.

"I don't know if I can do it," Edward whispered sadly.

"You're not alone, Edward," Bella assured him. "We're here for you."

Edward simply nodded again and Carlisle ducked back into the room. Bella watched as he turned his heavy green eyes to Carlisle's dark amber. "Can you wake her? So I can say goodbye?"

"I can son, but she's going to be in a lot of pain. She may not be lucid. If that's the case, I'll put her back under, so she can rest peacefully." He rested a pale hand on Edward's shoulder once more. "Understood?" The question was harsh but the tone behind it was gentle.

"I understand," Edward whispered with a nod.

"I'll be right back." Carlisle gave his shoulder a squeeze. "The others are here," he said, rising. "When you're ready."

"Carlisle?" Edward spoke up again when he was halfway through the door. "Thank you."

Carlisle's smile was sad, and he nodded, ducking back out to find the nurse.

Edward tipped his head back for a moment, closing his eyes as he looked up at the ceiling and Bella brushed a kiss across his forehead. He rose after a moment and crossed to his mother's side, taking her hand, and Bella stood just behind him.

Carlisle returned with Shelley, who handed him what he needed and then tactfully withdrew, leaving Edward, Bella, and Carlisle alone. They had removed the breathing tube (which she would have refused under the DNR) before giving her a couple of injections and it took just a moment for Mrs. Masen to gasp and wake with a whimper, and Bella watched Edward hold her hand even more firmly.

"Mom?" He asked quietly. "Mom, it's me," he said, sounding so much like a little boy it caused another piece of Bella's dead heart to break off.

"Edward?" she breathed. "It hurts, baby."

"It's okay, Mom," he whispered, letting go of Bella to use his other hand to stroke her hair gently out of her face. "It's not going to hurt for much longer, I promise." His breath caught on a sob, and Bella heard the change in Mrs. Masen before the monitors picked it up. Her breathing was becoming more labored, the morphine for the pain suppressing her respiration and her body simply unable to cope with the trauma it'd endured. "I love you, mom."

"I love you too, Edward," she whispered. "Bella?"

Bella blinked, surprised to hear her name. "I'm here, Liz," she answered quietly, gently cupping her bruised cheek.

"Take care of my son," she ordered gently. "His heart belongs to you."

"I'll take good care of it," Bella promised quietly, feeling her eyes burn with absent tears. "I promise." Edward sobbed quietly in front of her as his mom's words.

"Mom, I love you," he said again as the monitors began to change to a different, more urgent tone. Carlisle reached over and turned the sound off as they continued to record the last moments of Liz Masen's life.

"I know you do, son," her voice was weaker, her eyes never having truly opened. "Do good, Edward. Your father and I – " she paused, rasping. "Are very proud of you." Another pause. "Ed," she breathed (and Bella just knew she was somehow calling for her husband and not her son), and then nothing.

Edward sobbed and Bella hugged him, holding on for dear life, moving him slightly out of the way so Carlisle could work as Shelley stepped back in. The DNR meant no heroic measures, so they simply waited, and Carlisle barely breathed the time of death and only Bella and Shelley, right next to Carlisle, heard it.

Bella noticed that Edward was shaking, and no longer from the sobs. She gently pulled him away. "Come, love," she urged softly. "You need to get some juice or something in you. It won't do you any good to make yourself ill."

He nodded, hastily wiping his face with the palms of his hands, but they didn't have to go far. Alice met them outside the door, a distraught look on her face as she handed Edward a cookie and small carton of orange juice.

Edward took the offering in the hand that wasn't clutching at Bella and allowed Alice to embrace him, her small arms going around his waist and he slumped against her. "I'm so sorry, Edward," Alice whispered. She let him go after a moment and turned to Bella, giving her the same hug, only much, much tighter (she presumed). "Carlisle's office is open," Alice murmured to her. "Emmett's going to stick around, but the rest of us are going home. We'll see you in the morning." She tiptoed up to kiss Bella's cheek and gave her a sad smile.

"Thanks, Alice." Bella returned the hug and turned back to Edward as Alice danced back down the hall to collect the rest of the family. "Edward?" She tried to catch his attention, knowing he had to be close to just shutting down. He was methodically eating the cookie, eyes distant. "Let's go to Carlisle's office." She smiled softly at him and he nodded, letting her lead him down the hallway.

When they arrived, she settled him on the large black leather sofa across from Carlisle's desk (ostensibly installed for napping while on double shifts). Bella sank down next to him after closing the blinds and silently watched him finish his snack. Bella knew there was no real reason for them to stay at the hospital at that point, but she wanted to make sure Edward was alright before they went home.

Edward gave a shuddering sigh and slumped against Bella. She cradled him against her and hummed quietly as she stroked her fingers through his already messy bronze hair, letting him silently cry, but supporting him the only way she could.

His breathing and heart rate eventually slowed and he shivered and went limp against her as his body succumbed to grief and exhaustion. She held him as he slept, unwilling to move in case he woke with the shift of her body, and let herself grow as still as one of her kind could. Carlisle stopped by to check in on them once and disappeared, but Emmett showed up an hour or so later.

"Carlisle's shift is over," Emmett said quietly. "He said to tell you to stay as long as you need, but he'll need to go- come home," he said, correcting himself quickly. "Eventually."

Bella nodded. "I'll wake him in a bit. He's exhausted." She stroked through his hair again when Edward whimpered softly in his sleep and he quieted.

"How're _you_ doin' baby girl?" A hint of Emmett's Tennessee accent emerged with the question causing her to smile a bit – it wasn't as pronounced as Jasper's Texas drawl could be, but she liked it all the same.

"I'm alright," she lied smoothly, glad it was Emmett and not Jasper.

"Bullshit," he spat softly. "I don't have to be Jasper to know you're hurting too, Bells."

Bella sighed on an unnecessary breath. "I barely knew them," she started quietly as Emmett perched on the arm the couch behind her head. She tipped her head back to rest against one of his massive thighs. "I was just starting to get to know Elizabeth, but I'd only met Edward Senior once. I'm sad that they're gone and that I'll never really get to know them, but I'm more hurt for him," she admitted in a whisper. "He's so young to lose his parents like that. He was so close to them." She kept stroking lightly through Edward's hair as she spoke.

"Maybe so," Emmett said, "but he's nearly an adult, by human standards. He'd be on his own in a year or two. Not that it makes it any easier. Living away from family doesn't mean they're gone." Emmett did have a particular understanding about this, since he and Rosalie occasionally went off on their own and lived away from the family, unlike Bella, who'd not left Carlisle for an extended period of time since meeting up with him in Chicago.

"I know, but he's got no one left." Edward shifted restlessly in his sleep and she let him move and resettle against her.

"He's got you, Bells," Emmett said. "And the rest of us. You know Alice already thinks of him as another brother to dote on and Carlisle and Esme just love him. He's my best friend besides you and Rose," he admitted quietly. "He's not alone. In fact, Alice wanted me to let you know that she's already grabbed some of Edward's things from his room and Esme is setting up a guest room for him at the house if he wants it, until the bed arrives that Alice ordered for yours. Esme's moving into your rooms next to get things reorganized for the new furniture."

Bella nodded. She knew that her family would welcome Edward with open arms, that they already had, and they certainly wouldn't let him be alone if he didn't want it. It might be challenging for Jasper to have a human around, but she knew that her blonde vampire brother loved having Edward around too, despite the temptation his beating heart might cause. Besides, she knew they were eventually going to spend the rest of their lives together, the rest of the family might as well get to know him. It just hurt that they had to do it this way.

"Is everything in order?" She asked him after surfacing from her thoughts.

He nodded, reaching out to toy with one of the tendrils of her hair that Alice had curled up for the dance earlier that evening. "It's all perfect," he said. "The DNR was fine and all their instructions are fairly clear, so Edward shouldn't have to do much. Everything's left to him in trust until he's 24, except for necessary funds for school and living, but even then, he's not going to be hurting. Alice has already volunteered to help with the services, which I think he'll appreciate."

Bella nodded again. "I figured everything would be taken care of, but I'm glad you double checked."

"He's my friend too, baby girl," Emmett reminded her. "And I care about him."

"I know you do, Em." She shifted slightly so she could stretch and kiss his cheek. "I'm glad you two met each other."

"Me too," Emmett said with a grin. "Now we're evenly matched for baseball."

Bella laughed quietly at the exuberance in Emmett's voice. He really was a large child at heart, and there was nothing he enjoyed more than games, of any kind. With their odd number, someone had to sit out to play ref, and it was usually Esme. They hadn't had a chance to play for awhile; the last storm big enough had been the night before the tree had almost crushed Edward, and the family had been off doing different things.

"Are you going to change him?" Emmett asked randomly after a moment of silence.

Bella nodded. "Eventually. Alice has seen it, but we haven't spoken of it. I think we're both waiting for the right time. I don't think I can live without him, and I know how frail human life can be," she said with a touch of irony in her voice. "But I don't want to do it too soon. I want him to experience a few things as a human first, before I take that away from him." The statement brought their conversation from a couple weeks earlier to mind, where he'd said he felt like a child with her sometimes, and it seemed once again, they were in that position. She only hoped that he didn't think her caring for him when he needed the support in the manner. She'd give him the space, if that's what he wanted, but she hoped that wouldn't be the case.

Emmett nodded.

Edward shifted again, restless, and Bella knew he was close to waking. Emmett must have sensed it too, the way his breathing changed and heart rate sped up. "Take care of him, Bella. And don't forget we're all here too, for both of you." He kissed the top of her head and rose fluidly. "I'll see you at home."

Bella nodded and turned her attention back to Edward as Emmett left silently. Edward had turned so his face was up, instead of buried in her chest where he'd started. In sleep, he looked somewhat peaceful, but Bella could plainly see that his eyes were swollen from tears, and there were tracks down his face. He made another quiet noise and shook his head a bit, and Bella cupped his cheek gently in one of her hands as his eyes fluttered open and he glanced around, confused about where he was.

"Hello," she said quietly, offering him a small, sad smile.

"Hi." His voice was rough from sleep, deeper, and he cleared his throat quietly. "Time izzit?" His eyes dropped closed again and he rested against her, soft and warm from sleep.

"Around 6," she answered, unable to see a clock, but she could see light beginning to peek through the blinds covering the windows in Carlisle's office. She kept herself from asking inane questions that provided no real answers and just held him close until he stirred again.

"I'm sorry about your dress," he spoke quietly. "But you still look lovely."

"Oh, Edward," Bella sighed softly and kissed his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

He shrugged. "Numb. Empty. Hollow." His eyes stayed closed. "In desperate need of a shower and some food."

Bella kissed the top of his head, hating that he felt that way, but knowing that there's nothing she can do about it immediately. "Let's go, then. Alice brought some of your stuff to our house, and Esme's already got a room set up for you, if you'd like to stay over? We can grab breakfast on the way, or I can cook while you clean up once we're home."

Edward nodded against her chest. "Home, please."

Bella laughed softly. "You'll have to wake up. We'd get funny looks if I carried you through the lobby."

Edward smiled weakly and sat up, scrubbing his hand over his face. His shirt was badly rumpled and his trousers were creased, but Bella knew she looked similarly in her dress. He looked so much younger with the weight that fell upon his shoulders.

Bella shifted and stood, smoothing her dress as much as she could, knowing Alice would forgive her the care of her clothes this once for the circumstances. She located her purse and Edward's keys where she'd dropped them on Carlisle's desk. She leaned against the wooden desk as Edward pulled himself together and stood.

She leaned into him, breathing his scent deeply when he embraced her. "Thank you for being here," he whispered.

"Where else would I be, Edward?" She asked honestly. She kissed his chin and took his hand. "I'm ready to get out of this dress," she said lightly.

Edward nodded and Bella led him from the office. They stopped at the cafeteria and Bella purchased a banana and pressed it into Edward's hand as they crossed the lobby to the exit and then onto Edward's car, where Bella again slid behind the wheel. Edward kept hold of Bella's hand even while she drove, and she didn't mind, letting him draw what comfort from her that he could. They rode mostly in silence, Bella for once unsure what to say, only the sound of the radio filling the Volvo.

Bella parked Edward's car in the driveway, planning to move it to the garage if Rosalie would help her move things around a bit if there wasn't already room. She turned to Edward after she shut off the engine and his eyes were closed again, his breathing unsteady. She knew this would happen a lot over time, as he worked through his grief.

"Edward?" she prompted him gently, squeezing his hand lightly for his attention. "Let's get inside, and you can take a shower while I make you some scrambled eggs, and we can curl up and nap for a bit longer, okay?" She used her other hand to brush some fringe out of his face.

He nodded tightly, swiping at his eyes with his free hand before reaching for the door.

Bella let herself out of the driver's side and met Edward, offering him her hand. She led him inside, surprised to find the house quiet and fairly somber. Emmett wasn't playing video games or watching movies in the living room, but Bella could hear each of the couples in their own spaces, though they were just being quiet.

They went upstairs together, hand in hand, and Bella guided Edward to the guest room at the end of the hall. Sure enough, Alice had brought over a number of Edward's things; clothes, iPod, school books, laptop, and his own pillow and comforter from his bed. Edward paused in the middle of the room, taking it all in.

"How?" he asked quietly, turning to face her.

"Alice," Bella answered simply with a smile, folding him into a hug when he approached her. She held him for another long moment, sensing that he was touched by Alice's small (to her) gesture of making him feel at home. "You're part of the family, Edward. You're welcome to stay as long as you like. Esme's actually redecorating my rooms and adding a bed, so that you can stay with me, if you'd like," she offered shyly. He'd mentioned that he slept better in her arms.

Edward nodded again, and when Bella met his gaze, she could see unshed tears again shining in his eyes. She kissed his forehead. "There should be clean towels in the bathroom, and if I know Alice, there are new pajamas in the bureau," she said with a soft smile. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

Edward nodded again let her go, just far enough so he could rest his forehead against hers. "Thank you. I don't know what I'd have done without you."

Bella kissed him softly. "I hope you never have to find out," she said softly. She kissed him again and pulled away, pushing him gently toward the bathroom. "Go get cleaned up. You smell," she teased lightly, wrinkling her nose in mock offense.

He smiled slightly and nodded, padding off toward the bathroom.

Bella sighed softly once the door was closed behind him. He'd always been quiet, but Bella had the feeling he was closing down and pulling away to deal with his grief. She'd give him some space, but she'd not let him cut himself off from her and her family when they could help him through this.

When she heard the water turn on, she forced herself to move. Bella quickly found herself downstairs, Esme sitting at the informal bar in the kitchen, waiting for her.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Esme said, flipping through a home and garden magazine. "How are you?"

Bella went to the fridge for eggs and cheese and retrieved a pan from the cupboard. "I'm –" she paused, searching for the right word. "I don't know," she finally admitted. "I'm sad for Edward of course, and it hurts to see him so hurt." She slid the pan onto the range and lit the burner, turning back to the fridge for butter, placing a bit in the pan as it warmed. "I barely knew them, and I'm sad that I won't get to know them further, but right now I'm so focused on being there for Edward that I don't feel much beyond that."

Esme nodded. "He's lucky to have you through this."

Bella shrugged, grabbing a bowl and fork to beat the eggs. "I love him."

Esme laughed softly and slid from her stool, taking the fork from Bella. "That is obvious to anyone who sees the two of you together." She kissed Bella's temple. "I can manage scrambled eggs and toast, dear. Why don't you get a shower yourself, before Alice sees you in that dress."

Bella smiled softly and nodded, kissing Esme's cheek and dashing upstairs. The water was still running in Edward's bathroom, so Bella jumped into her own shower, leaving her dress in a puddle in her room, knowing Alice would retrieve it at some point. She twisted her hair up into a bun and let the hot water beat into her skin, rinsing away the night spent at the hospital. She turned her face up into the spray, feeling her eyes burn with tears she couldn't shed for her mate's parents, two wonderful people who'd been taken out of the world too soon, for the heartbreak her mate was going through, for the struggles that were yet to come.

She wasn't sure when she'd started thinking of Edward as her mate rather than her boyfriend, but she knew that he was. He had become her life, and she knew that when he asked, she'd consent to changing him, so they could be together forever, and share a bond that would only be broken if one of them chose to walk away. She knew their issues hadn't all been resolved, and that they'd not be completely equal until he decided to undergo the change, if he wanted to stay with her. But she was doing her best to remember what he'd said about feeling the differences between them, and doing what she could to minimize them. Though at the moment, she was finding it very difficult to not think of him as a broken young man who looked younger than his years.

After a moment she sniffled quietly and scrubbed herself clean, pushing away her sadness and remorse so she could focus on being positive for Edward.

She emerged from the bathroom, her nose wrinkling automatically at the scent of eggs in the house. Bella dressed quickly in comfortable cotton pants and a wonder woman t-shirt and padded barefoot to Edward's room. The shower was still running, and Bella frowned, knocking on the door and calling out to him. When he didn't answer, she let herself in, calling out again as she opened the bathroom door. What she found broke her heart again.

Edward was sitting on the floor of the tub, knees pulled up to his chest as the water rained down on him. It had gone tepid, and Bella could tell that he'd not really cleaned up yet. She shut off the cold water to let the hot water return, and reached for the toiletries that Alice had placed on the ledge. She hummed quietly as she gently washed Edward's hair, figuring that the suds from the shampoo would do as body wash as well, for the time being.

His hair clean, she reached for a cloth and wiped his tearstained face clean before shutting off the water. They were both quiet as she draped a large towel over his shoulders and used a smaller one to wring the water from his hair.

"Edward?" She finally spoke softly, trying to get his attention, holding out a hand to help him stand and leave the tub.

"It hurts," he whispered.

"Oh, Edward, I know," she answered, pulling him up and to her. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close. He didn't sob, but Bella felt tears soak her shoulder as he nestled his face between her neck and shoulder. She let him stand there until she felt him start to shiver, still wet and naked from the shower (and being a house full of vampires they didn't tend to keep the heating on all that high).

"Let's get you dressed," she said quietly, kissing the top of his head. She led him into the main room and shuffled through the drawers of the bureau finding underpants, sleep pants, and a long sleeved thermal t-shirt that matched. She handed him the clothes and turned her back so he could dress with a modicum of privacy.

When he was finished dressing, Bella watched him tug the duvet from the bed. "Can we go to your room?" he asked quietly.

Bella nodded silently and took his hand, leading him to her bedroom door. The door to the study was closed, and Bella saw that the dress had been picked up from the floor where she'd left it. The room was clean, though Bella noticed that some of the furniture had been moved around, presumably for Alice and Esme to make arrangements for the redecoration Emmett had spoken about. The chaise had been pushed closer to the glass wall and was bathed in a rare ray of Forks sunshine.

Edward wrapped the duvet around his shoulders and curled up on the lounger, drawing his knees to his chest while he sat with his back against the rest. Bella kissed his forehead. "I'll be right back," she whispered, and left him staring out the large glass windows while she sprinted downstairs to retrieve the breakfast she and Esme had prepared.

Alice gave Bella a quick hug before she danced off with Jasper to go hunt, and Bella loaded the plate, a glass of juice, milk, and Edward's water bottle on a tray that she carried back upstairs. She found Edward still curled up as she'd left him, fresh tear tracks on his cheeks and a distant look in his eyes. Handing him the tray, Bella chivvied him forward and slipped in behind him so he could rest against her (and she could have him in her arms), and he settled between her legs and she lightly combed through his hair. She felt his hair grow warm in the sunshine as he poked at the food, forcing himself to eat.

"I need to call the family," Edward said after several minutes of silence, broken only by the sound of his silverware on the plate or one of the glasses on the tray.

"Do you have a lot of extended family?" she asked gently.

Edward shook his head. "Not really. My grandparents have been gone for years, and my parents were only children. But there are some cousins and aunts and uncles."

"Are you close to them?"

"Not really." Edward's voice was soft. "We really only saw them at holidays. Most of them are scattered around the pacific northwest, so they're nearby." He sighed. "I'll have to let them know when the arrangements are made, so they can come for the services."

Bella nodded, listening as Edward spoke. It was the most he'd said since saying goodbye to his mother the evening before. "Alice will help, if you'd like," she offered.

"Was there," Edward paused, swallowed, and let his eyes close. "Were there any instructions in their papers?"

"I don't know, but Emmett would," she said. "Em?" Bella knew the family was trying to respect their privacy, yet wouldn't be able to help but hear the conversation. A moment later there was a knock on her door and Emmett stepped in, closing it behind him.

"Hey, man," Emmett said quietly, moving to sit on the floor near the foot of the chaise, a file folder tucked under his arm. "Hanging in there?"

Edward nodded slightly. "Yeah," he whispered. "I guess."

Emmett tipped his head, but didn't call Edward out on what was pretty much obviously a gross exaggeration. "Alright, but you know I'm here if you need anything, right?" At Edward's slight nod, Emmett spread the file on the floor in front of him. "Your parents did dictate their requests in the papers," he explained gently. "Everything's laid out, the specific arrangements just need to be made."

"What did they want?" Edward asked in a small voice.

"Edward you don't need to do this today," Bella offered softly, but he protested quietly, turning back to Emmett.

The dark haired vampire looked sad as he sifted unnecessarily through the papers. "They both wished to be cremated," he said.

Edward let out a breath and Bella wondered if he was somewhat relieved to not have to deal with a burial. She hugged him and rested her chin against his shoulder. "Anything else?" Edward asked shakily.

Emmett shook his head, closing the folder. "Nothing important," he assured him. "We can look at it tomorrow or whatever."

Edward nodded again, eyes closed and Bella saw a few more tears escape. "Thanks, Emmett," Edward whispered.

"Anytime, man." Emmett rose gracefully from the floor. He kissed the top of Bella's head and gave Edward's shoulder a squeeze, lingering for a moment, like he was searching for something to say. When nothing came, he nodded once and left, leaving Bella and Edward wrapped up together.

They sat in silence for a long time, only the occasional noise escaping Edward as he shifted or tried to control his emotions, and after the third stifled sob, Bella kissed his cheek softly.

"You don't have to hold it in, Edward. No one will condemn you for feeling," she whispered into his ear, feeling his body begin to tremble again. "You'll only make yourself ill. You loved them, and it's alright to grieve and cry." She lifted a hand to stroke through his messy hair as his body crumpled against here yet again and she held him as he once again cried himself into a state of exhaustion and fell into a restless sleep against her.

Each of her family members checked in on them at some point throughout the evening, and Bella didn't mind the intrusions. She was able to chat quietly with each of them, soothing Edward as he slept. Carlisle assured her that the sleep would be good for him, and that they'd both already been excused from school for the week. Alice let her know that she'd already seen Edward's decisions on arrangements and had started putting things together for a funeral later in the week and a memorial service for the community. Rose played with Bella's hair and Esme brought up food for Edward for when he woke. Jasper sat quietly with them within Bella's shield to escape the stronger emotions in the house and to resist influencing Edward's prematurely and without his permission.

Through it all, Bella just held her mate close and gave him as much of her love and support as she could.

[**this chapter was very difficult to write. I've never lost anyone close to me, and that's why this chapter needed to happen from Bella's point of view – I'm not sure I could have done justice to the pain of the event if I'd been in Edward's head. **

**I admit to not fully researching medical procedures for this section, and I'm sure I'm taking quite a bit of artistic license.]**


	16. Chapter 16

Three days after the memorial service for his parents, Edward was back in school. The service on Thursday had been nice, and he had to admit that Alice had a knack for such things and he hadn't had to do much himself. Most of the town had come out for the wake, as well as people from the surrounding communities. He'd shaken hands and accepted condolences for hours.

He still felt empty and numb a lot of the time, if he allowed himself to think too much about his parents, but Bella and the rest of the Cullens had done a remarkable job of distracting him when he got too lost in his thoughts. Over the course of the previous week he'd grown closer to all of them, finally getting to know Jasper a bit, and even Rosalie had warmed up a bit more to him. He was saddened to know that it had taken the death of his parents for that to happen.

Emmett was helping him manage the rest of the estate with the advice of one of his father's colleagues. He'd learned that even though he was a minor, no judge would put him into foster care when he was within three months of his eighteenth birthday, and his attorney had advised him to see if the Cullens would be willing to offer temporary guardianship. He thought Esme was going to cry when he'd asked her and Carlisle. Edward had been relieved when they'd said yes with no reservations, and he knew he shouldn't have expected anything different.

Edward was waffling over what to do with the house though he knew he didn't have to do anything right away; he had all but moved in with Bella, though he couldn't help feel slightly guilty that he'd taken over her sanctuary. The king sized bed that Alice had moved in took up more space than her chaise had, and the second desk in her study disrupted the flow of the room. Bella hadn't protested, however and when he mentioned it, she just kissed him lightly and told him not to worry, unless he wanted space of his own. He knew Jasper had his own study away from the room he shared with Alice, and Emmett had turned the basement into a teenage boy's dream game room and hangout.

He knew that Esme wouldn't have minded converting the guest bedroom into a study space for him (and she had said so on many occasions), and he knew he was going to be with this family for a long time to come, but he couldn't bear to let her do it just yet. He was content to share Bella's space most of the time. The rest, he would escape to the guest room - his room -when he needed privacy, which over the course of the week hadn't been all that often. Bella curled up with him while he slept, and he'd really only taken refuge in his room when Bella'd finally had to leave to go hunt.

Edward did miss his piano, even though he didn't feel any real inspiration to play, he'd always found it to be an outlet for his emotions. Still, he hadn't found the courage to ask Bella if they could help move it from his parents' home. They'd all been so supportive over the past week that he could hardly bear to ask anything more of them.

Monday morning a week after losing his parents, Edward drove himself and Bella to school. He was anxious, not only for the class time he'd missed, but because he was worried that too many comments would leave him an emotional mess in the one place he wouldn't be afforded much privacy. He'd had to shut off his phone at one point during the week because he couldn't cope with all the calls he received expression sympathies for the loss of his parents. Bella, of course, had been right by his side for all of it, but he couldn't help but think she was pushing her own emotions and feelings aside to be there for him, and it worried him. She could be incredibly selfless, and though he didn't know if it would affect her physiologically like it would him, he was worried what it would do for her to keep repressing her own grief.

Edward knew she was grieving for his parents; they'd not had a chance to really grow close, he knew, but his mother had really liked Bella and Edward knew she'd been planning on inviting Bella out for coffee and shopping soon, as a kind of bonding moment. He also had the sense that Bella was, in a way, grieving for his loss.

"Ready for this?" She asked softly as Edward parked the Volvo.

He nodded. The parking lot was still mostly empty since they'd arrived for him to return to jazz rehearsals. "Have to get back to it sometime," he said with a soft smile. Edward took a deep breath before climbing out of the car, meeting Bella around in front of the hood. He took her hand and started walking toward the music building. "Want to come in with me?"

She smiled and shook her head. "I need to go catch up with a couple of my teachers," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Edward smiled. She could _teach_ all of her classes, but the image had to be maintained. "Alright." He kissed her temple lightly when they reached his stop. "I'll see you at lunch."

Bella nodded. "Love you."

"I love you, too," he said softly, giving her hand a squeeze before stepping inside.

"Welcome back, Edward," Mr. Hall greeted him from where he was positioning his stand. "Holding up alright?"

"Thanks Mr. Hall," Edward returned the greeting. "Best I can," he answered with a nod, mentally telling himself to get used to the question.

The band director returned the nod and focused once again on putting things together for the morning rehearsal. Edward crossed to the piano, dropping his messenger bag beside the bench and settling himself in front of the keyboard. He played a few scales, feeling a bit of the tension he'd carried for the last week ease with even those simple sounds. He sighs quietly as he loses himself in a few simple melodies as the rest of the students trickle in, and he's surprised when he looks up and sees Newton standing in the curve of the piano, almost looking nervous.

"Can I help you with something, Newton," Edward asked, really not feeling like dealing with Netwon's crap.

"Hey, Edward, man," Mike stammered. "I uhm, just wanted to say that I'm sorry about your parents. I didn't get a chance to make it to the memorial, but uh, yeah." He stopped speaking, looking down at his hands. "They're going to be missed."

"Thanks, Mike," Edward said honestly, though he reeled a bit with confusion, his emotions just as unpredictable as he'd feared. He didn't even know that Newton had known his parents. Thankfully, he's saved from having to ponder that thought any further by Mr. Hall beginning rehearsal.

The rest of the hour flew by, and Edward soon found himself wrapped in Bella's hug in their alcove outside the music building. "Alright?" She asked him, staring intently into his eyes.

He read nothing but love and support in her butterscotch gaze and nodded. "It's going to be a long day," he whispered, turning his head and resting his cheek on her crown.

"Did Newton give you trouble already?" Bella asked gently.

Edward shook his head. "Surprisingly, no. It's just that I'm sure there's going to be endless questions, and I'm not sure I can deal with it," he admits softly. Sometimes he has to be grateful for the fact his mother was a shrink. He's not completely terrified to share his feelings.

Bella tiptoed up and kissed him lightly. "You can," she assures him, and he wanted so badly to believe her. "If you need us, you just have to say so. You're not alone, Edward, and you don't have to deal with this all on your own."

He hugged her tighter as the first bell rang. "What did I do to deserve you, Isabella?" he asked softly.

She beamed up at him. "I ask myself the same thing all the time." Bella kissed him gently and pulled out of the hug, holding onto his hand instead and let him walk her to her first class.

The day passed quickly and Edward endured it better than he thought. He knew he was quiet and withdrawn at lunch time, but Bella merely held his hand and coaxed him to eat (something he knew she'd been doing a lot of lately because his appetite had mostly fled in his grief) and the Cullens carried on around him. His teachers were supportive and accepted his work and scheduled make-ups for the quizzes and labs he'd missed. He made arrangements to finish things up during zero and eighth hour, knowing Mr. Hall would be alright with him missing a couple more rehearsals since they were still gearing up for the next round of concerts.

By the end of the day, he was exhausted, mentally and physically. He hadn't been sleeping well, despite Bella's presence at his side every night. He was plagued with dreams of the accident, occasionally finding himself in the car, watching Bella grieve for the loss of him. Sometimes he dreamed of growing old in stages, constantly changing the nature of his relationship with Bella, from wife, to niece, to daughter, to granddaughter as he aged and she remained eternally seventeen and beautiful. The dreams troubled him, but he couldn't bring himself to talk with Bella about them. He wasn't sure why; he knew she wouldn't give him empty assurances or mock him for having nightmares (especially when she held him in her arms as he slept every night while he had them). But something in him was insecure about sharing his fears with her.

The rest of the week continued in much the same way, and Edward settled back into the routine. By Friday he was utterly exhausted, dark smudges under his eyes more prominent than Bella's since she'd hunted recently. Thursday night he'd barely slept at all, having woke with a strangled cry from a dream where he was forced to watch Bella die, burned in a fire after saving his life. She'd held him throughout the night, singing to him softly as he clung almost desperately to her, wishing not for the first time that he could talk to his mother about what his subconscious was trying to tell him. He'd been a zombie through his morning classes on Friday, seeing the world through a sleep-deprivation migraine haze. Bella had watched him with a concerned look as they made their way through the halls to the cafeteria, and Edward felt guilty for making her worry.

"Oh, Bella, we need to go to Port Angeles after school!" Alice declared, bouncing in her seat at lunch as Edward and Bella joined the rest of the family, the one tray from the lunch line between them.

Edward nodded when Bella glanced at him; he'd be fine with the boys for the evening. Alice was plotting, Edward decided, but couldn't really be upset with her for it.

"Sure, Alice. What're we after?" Bella asked, toying with an apple from the tray and nudging the sandwich toward Edward.

He picked at the sandwich and tuned out the girls' conversation, feeling Bella's arm around his waist. Edward glanced at her and she smiled softly. He returned it and let his eyes slip closed as he cradled his head on his forearm on the table and felt her fingers in his hair as conversation continued around him. Edward dozed through the thirty-five minutes of lunch, feeling slightly better when Bella nudged him a moment before the bell rang.

"Do you want to go home?" she asked quietly as she gathered their tray. "You don't look like you're feeling very well."

Edward again felt slightly guilty for feeling like he was hiding from her, yet she knew he wasn't sleeping very well. "I'll be alright. It's just a headache." He smiled at her softly. "I don't think I'll go to orchestra, today, though," he offered in concession.

"Alright." She took his hand and squeezed it. "I just worry about you." She handed him a bottle of juice since he hadn't eaten much. She was always taking care of him. "I love you."

"I love you too, Bella," he answered, stooping to kiss her softly, smiling at the catcalls that sounded through the cafeteria and feeling his ears heat up in embarrassment.

Biology went off without a problem, Mr. Banner assigning bookwork to keep the class busy for the hour. Edward chatted quietly with Bella as they worked through the questions from the chapter as the rest of the class did likewise while Mr. Banner looked like he was pretending to be busy at his desk.

When the bell rang, Bella kissed his cheek and promised to see him at home, and he made his way to Spanish, picking up Emmett in the hall. The large vampire raised his fist and Edward bumped it with his own.

"You look like hell, man," Emmett said quietly.

Edward nodded. "Not sleeping."

"No shit," Emmett answered with a grin.

Edward blanched. Of course, they could all hear it when he woke up in the night.

"Don't sweat it," Emmett assured him. "You've been through a rough time. But don't try to figure it out yourself, alright?"

Edward nodded. "Video games tonight, while the girls are gone?" He didn't mean that as much as a non sequitur as it sounded.

"Hells yeah!" Emmett boomed, causing everyone to look in their direction.

Edward grinned and shook his head. Possibly he'd be able to talk to Emmett and Jasper about what was bothering him. Video games sounded strangely appropriate.

After Spanish, Emmett walked with him to the music building, where Edward made his excuses to Mr. Hall, who was understanding and wished him a pleasant weekend. Jasper and Emmett piled into the Volvo with Edward, since the girls had already disappeared in Rose's car for Port Angeles.

Esme was waiting for them when they got back to the house on the outskirts of town. "Edward, sweetheart, there's some mail for you," she called from the kitchen as they trooped inside.

He dropped his messenger bag near the couch and went into the kitchen while Emmett and Jasper argued over what game they were going to play. Near a small stack of mail he found a plate with a sliced apple, a spoonful of peanut butter and a few slices of cheddar cheese. "Thanks, Esme," he said, idly munching while he thumbed through the mail, finding nothing urgent since most of that would be filtered through the attorneys until all the matters were settled. He carried the plate and mail into the living room, slipping the mail into the back pocket of his bag and perching on the couch to finish his snack while Jasper and Emmett figured out what to do.

They finally decided on a game, and Edward settled on the couch and watched them play the two-player game. A few minutes in, Jasper demonstrated his multi-tasking skills and asked Edward the question he'd been expecting for hours. "So, Edward, wanna tell us what's got you waking up screaming?"

Edward rolled his eyes as Emmett laughed. "Subtle, Jasper," Edward muttered, though he appreciated the blonde's straightforward method.

Jasper just shrugged. "You feel like crap," he said, his soft accent shaping the words to be slightly less hurtful than they could have been. "You're going to keep feeling like crap unless you talk about, and I'm going go out on a limb and say that there's probably a reason you haven't spoken about it with Bella yet."

"Is that your professional opinion, Dr. Hale?" Edward asked, a hint of frustrated snark seeping into his tone.

"It's Dr. Whitlock, boy, and yes." Jasper turned and grinned at him, though his eyes were a strange mix of reassuring and hard. Emmett just chuckled in the background.

Edward wasn't really surprised at that revelation, given what he knew about Bella's own educational history. He sighed. "Nightmares."

Jasper snorted. "No shit."

Edward smirked. Jasper may have been a southern gent born and bred, but he'd been a soldier, too, and every so often Edward noticed that he'd fall into more modern speech patterns. He combed his fingers through his hair, tugging lightly when he reached the ends. "I keep dreaming about losing Bella," he finally admitted after a moment of listening to the sounds of their game. "Either she dies after saving me, or I'm the one who dies, leaving her behind."

"What was it last night?" Jasper asked patiently.

Edward took a deep breath. "Bella. In a fire." He heard Emmett's low oath and Jasper's agreement. Bella had once explained to him that the only true way to kill one of her kind was through fire. One of them paused the game and they both set their controllers down and joined him in seats around the television.

"Have you spoken to Bella about what her plans are? Or what yours are?" Jasper asked, perching on the opposite end of the couch from where Edward had been watching them play.

He shook his head. "In what sense?"

"You and her?" Emmett asked.

"Oh." Edward frowned, and suddenly the hem of the hoodie he was wearing was very interesting. "No."

It was quiet for a moment before Jasper spoke again. "You've had quite a bit of emotional trauma recently, Edward, through losing your parents so suddenly," he said gently. "And that's stirred up some feelings in you about losing Bella in some way, no matter how irrational. I think you need to speak with her about what the future for the two of you looks like."

Edward nodded. "I'd been meaning to talk to her about it for awhile, but the timing never seemed right. And then the dance, and my parents…" he trailed off, choking up a bit with emotion as he did when he thought of his parents over the last couple of weeks.

"Edward, man, there's never really a good time to ask someone about how they can be turned into a vampire," Emmett quipped in his usual light tone, though Edward knew he was attempting to be serious.

"That is what you meant to ask her about?" Jasper prompted.

"Not in so many words, but yes," Edward answered. He felt his cheeks and ears heat up with what he was about to say to his girlfriend's brothers. "I know there's no one else for me but Bella, and I know she loves me. But I don't know that that's what she wants." He sighs again. "We've never spoken about it in more than abstract terms, though she told me about how she was changed, and her relationship with James. We've talked a bit about the imbalances in our relationship and we're always working on those. I know she has some serious issues with intimacy, but we had started working through some of that," he says, blushing furiously at Emmett's chuckle, "mostly for me, I think." He took another deep, slow breath. "I just wanted to talk about the idea with her. I'm not asking for anything to happen right away, I just don't know how she feels about the idea."

"Talk to her, Edward," Jasper advised him gently. "Tell her what you're worried about. Tell her about your dreams. She knows something's wrong, and she's waiting for you to come to her about it." He rises from the couch and claps Edward on the shoulder as he passes. "She loves you, brother. And you've brought her back to us, in a way. Try to talk to her, but you know we'll back you up, if you need it."

Edward nodded as Jasper squeezed his shoulder, feeling a bit of the hole left behind by his parents death fill in at being called brother by one of the members of his new family. Emmett clapped his other shoulder and Edward winced, and the vampire brothers returned to the video games and they chatted about some lighter topics. Edward's thoughts wandered a bit as he pondered Jasper's advice. It made sense that his subconscious was dealing with his fear of being abandoned by Bella by playing out scenarios of her death or his, and that it had been triggered by the death of his parents. Sure, he'd thought about approaching the subject of the change before his parents' death, but it hadn't seemed urgent then. But with the sudden tragedy of their loss, it seemed that Edward was all too conscious of the frailty of human life, and he didn't want to live without Bella (as irrational as he knew that thought was), or have her live without him.

Eventually, Jasper and Emmett roped him into a game as well, thoroughly distracting him from his heavy thoughts as he concentrated on killing aliens until the girls came home a couple hours later.

Bella came through the door laughing at something, carrying a few shopping bags, one of which Edward recognized for its distinctive pink stripes. She set all but one bag on the floor and crossed to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I brought you dinner," she said. "Chicken enchiladas."

"Mm," Edward said with a smile. "Sounds fantastic. Thank you, love." He kissed the top of her head. "Do I get a fashion show later?" he teased, eyeing the pink bag.

"Maybe," Bella said softly, a sparkle in her topaz eyes. "If you're a good boy."

Edward laughed and hugged her a bit tighter.

"Feeling better?" She asked him, skimming her fingers lightly over the smudges under his eyes. "You seem a bit lighter."

"A bit," he admitted, wondering just how much better he'd feel after they had a chance to talk. But he wanted to have that chat in private, which meant he wanted to be out of the Cullen home. "Can we go for a walk or something later?" he asked quietly, nuzzling her temple. "After I eat?"

"Of course, love." She had a puzzled look on her face, but didn't ask further.

He kissed her gently and settled on the couch, placing her in his lap and handing his take out bag to Esme when she appeared, taking the plate and fork she offered when she returned a moment later. "Thank you, Esme."

They all laughed and he ate as Alice bounced around and filled them in on their shopping trip while Emmett and Jasper continued on their mission to blow things up and kill aliens. Bella's nose wrinkled playfully at the scent of Edward's meal, but she didn't move away from him as he made quick work of the combination plate, feeling truly hungry for the first time in days.

When he finished, he gave Bella a nudge and slipped off the couch to take his plate into the sink. Esme was sitting at the bar flipping through a magazine and not flitting around doing something as he so often saw her. After rinsing his plate and depositing it in the dishwasher, he gave her a brief hug and went to find Bella.

She was standing at the door, holding both of their coats and smiling softly. He kissed her forehead and took his coat. "We'll be back," Bella called softly over her shoulder to her family as they slipped out into the early spring evening.

Edward took Bella's hand as they walked quietly, waiting to speak until he was far enough from the house that he thought they wouldn't be overheard (not that he was under any delusion that they didn't all know what was going on anyway).

"Did you have a good time with the boys today?" Bella finally asked. They were down by the river that ran along the back of the Cullen property, Bella on the bank side because of her better vision.

"I did. You never told me Jasper's a shrink."

Bella shrugged. "It hadn't come up, but yes, he was licensed in New York when we lived there. With his gift, he was a very successful therapist."

Edward nodded. "I could imagine." He paused. "I've been having nightmares."

He felt Bella squeeze his hand. "I know," she said softly, a sad note in her voice. "Will you tell me about them?"

He took a deep breath and reminded himself that it was Bella he was talking to, the love of his life. His soul mate. "I'm afraid of losing you," he says quietly. "I keep dreaming of watching you die, or watching myself die and leaving you behind. Sometimes I'm with my parents."

Bella stopped walking and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm not going anywhere, Edward. You aren't going to lose me."

"You can't promise that, Bella," Edward said. "You can't see the future."

"Alice can," she protested. "And you and me, we're going to be together for a long, long time."

"Are we?" Edward asked, pushing her away slightly so he can look into her eyes.

"What are you trying to get me to say, Edward?" Bella asked after a few heartbeats.

Edward took a deep breath. "I want you to change me, Isabella."


	17. Chapter 17

Bella's unneeded breath caught when he said it. The words that she'd both been longing and dreading to hear. She hugged him close again, then took Edward's hand and tugged him gently to sit with her beside the river. She took his left hand in both of hers and traced the lines of his palm. "If that's truly what you wish, Edward, I will."

He let out a breath that he was probably unaware he'd been holding. "Really?"

Bella laughed softly; he probably thought it wouldn't have been that simple. "Yes. You doubt I'd want to have you with me, forever?"

"No, that's not it," he said in a rush. "I just thought you'd fight me on it."

Bella shifted and rested her head against his shoulder. "Edward, I'm incredibly selfish, and there's nothing I want more than to keep you with me, for as long as you'll have me. If that's forever, so be it."

Edward kissed her softly, and she nestled against him, letting go of his hand and wrapping her arms around his waist. "That's not to say I'm going to do it tomorrow," she said after they resettled. "I want you to make sure that this is something you want, and I'm going to give you time to change your mind."

"I won't," Edward said with a small pout.

Bella smiled softly. "Don't be so sure. It's not a life most of us would have chosen willingly, though we've mostly come to accept our fates. You'd be giving up so much, though you'd be gaining, as well," she explains quietly. "You should talk to the rest of the family, and hear their perspectives, too. Alice doesn't remember being human, but everyone else does, to a differing extent." Bella hugs him again, nuzzling his neck gently. "And I won't do it before you graduate from high school, if I don't have to."

"So long?" Edward asked quietly, resting his cheek on the top of her head.

"Just a year and a half," Bella responded. "Your education is too important, and we'll have to go into isolation for at least a year, for the change." She breathed deeply of him before shifting to face the river. "I want you to have as many human experiences as possible before you commit to me, but I promise, Edward, that I will change you any time after graduation, when you're ready."

Edward let out another quiet breath that stirred Bella's hair. "Okay. I can see your logic." He kissed her temple. "I can wait."

"Thank you," Bella breathed, turning to kiss him softly on the mouth. She was glad that he'd understood her reasoning, and that he'd agreed to wait. She just wanted to make sure that he was sure about his decision, that he wouldn't be given immortality and then regret the choice to stay with her (not that she'd force him to if he didn't want to). She loved him, she knew he was her mate, but she also knew that she loved him enough to let him go, if that was his choice. But part of her also knew that he needed that reassurance after the last couple of weeks, and she hoped that was enough to help calm his fears so he could rest peacefully again.

Edward shivered in her arms, and Bella knew they'd need to head inside soon. He was already so worn, she didn't want him to get ill again. "Ready to head back inside?" she asked, wondering if there was anything else he wanted privacy for.

"In a minute," he answered, leaning against her. "I'm sorry for hiding from you the last couple weeks. I just needed some time."

"You don't need to apologize for that, Edward," she gently rebuked him. "You're here, you let us fuss after you, and we knew you'd come to us when you were ready. I'm just glad it was sooner rather than later, and that you're starting to feel like you're part of the family in trusting Jasper to talk to."

Edward laughed quietly. "Not sure I really had much choice in that," he said dryly.

"Probably not," Bella agreed as he shivered again. "Come on, we should get inside before you get more chilled."

"'M not cold," Edward protested, smothering a yawn. "Just sleepy."

"Even more reason to get inside, then," she teased lightly. She rose gracefully and tugged him up, wrapping her arms around his waist again and leading him toward the house. Bella easily shouldered his weight as he gave into the exhaustion he'd been carrying all week. When they reached the house, she stripped him of his coat and nudged him toward the stairs. "Upstairs, love. I'll be up in a moment."

Edward grumbled softly but obeyed, to the soft laughter of the rest of the family, still gathered in the living room watching TV. It wasn't all that late, but it'd been a long week, and she was ready to spend some quiet time with a book and her mate, and she knew the family would understand that.

Bella kissed Jasper's forehead as she passed him on the way into the kitchen to heat water for tea for Edward. "Thank you," she whispered to him.

Jasper smiled and nodded.

Bella boiled water and dropped a tea bag into a mug with a lid and carried it upstairs to her room. Edward had already changed into pajamas (even vampires couldn't make water boil faster) and crawled into the king sized bed Alice had ordered, stretched out under the navy blue duvet and nestled into the pile of pillows stacked against the simple wooden headboard. Alice had, at least, taken Bella's tastes into consideration when she replaced the furniture.

"Bella?" Edward asked after she handed him the mug and crossed to the bureau to change into relaxing clothes of her own.

"Hm?" She answered, fishing out yoga pants and a t-shirt and beginning to change.

"Do you think Esme could find room for my piano?" He asked hesitantly in a quiet voice.

Bella turned and looked him after tugging the t-shirt over her head. "Of course. She'd love to give you a music room." Bella smiled as she heard the agreement from downstairs.

"I don't need a whole room," Edward started to protest, but Bella cut him off.

"None of that, now," Bella said, quickly stripping out of her jeans and tugging on the comfortable cotton pants. "You won't let her give you a study, so you'll take the music room and be happy about it." She put her hands on her hips and glared at him, causing him to burst into laughter, which mixed with that of her family downstairs.

"You really need to work on that threatening look, love," Edward said through his laughter, reaching out for her. "You look like an angry kitten."

Bella fought a grin of her own as she tried to maintain the glare; Emmett had been telling her the same thing for years. She broke after a moment laughed softly as she crossed the room and turned down the lights as Edward flicked on the small reading lamp over the bed. She joined Edward in the bed, tucking the duvet between them so he wouldn't get chilled from her body and he got comfortable around her. Bella hummed quietly and stroked his hair as he dozed off, waiting until he was deeply asleep before reaching for one of the books stacked up near the lamp.

Edward slept through the night without a nightmare, and Bella found herself smiling as she watched him sleep as the sky lightened. She didn't wake him as the hours stretched on, letting him find the rest he needed. Her family sought out their own pursuits, though Jasper and Emmett had been sent off to the Home Depot in Sequim to get materials for Esme to start construction in turning part of the expansive living area downstairs into a music nook (her compromise) for Edward, and Alice had already contacted movers to have the piano transported in the next week.

It was approaching afternoon before Edward began to stir, groaning quietly as he shifted and stretched.

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead," Bella teased him lightly, stroking through his hair. She loved playing with his unruly hair.

"Afternoon?" His voice was gruff from sleep and he cleared his throat roughly. "Why'd you let me sleep so late?" He shifted again and settled against her chest, their legs tangled together with blankets between them.

Bella laughed softly and kissed the top of his head. "You needed it, and I had no other plans for today than just being with you."

Edward mumbled something that Bella wasn't quite sure was real language and stretched and winced.

"Are you alright?" She rubbed his shoulders gently and he sighed.

"Just sore from sleeping so long," he admitted.

Bella had an idea and before she could voice it, Alice popped into her room, handed her a vial with a wink, and disappeared. "Thank you, Alice," she called quietly, and heard her sister's answering laughter from down the hall. Edward merely look confused, which made Bella smile fondly.

"Turn over," she urged him gently, easily slipping from underneath him and throwing the bedcovers to the foot of the bed. She removed most of the pillows, leaving one for Edward's head as he complied, the small furrow between his eyes remaining. "Trust me," Bella whispered in his ear before she lifted his shirt over his head and tugged his sleep pants down so he was resting on their pale blue sheets in just his boxer shorts. She covered his lower half with a blanket and kissed between his shoulder blades. "I'll be right back."

Bella flew downstairs and threw together a plate of fruit and a turkey sandwich before running back up the stairs. She left the plate on the table by the bed and instructed Edward to eat and went into the bathroom. She turned the tap in the sink as hot as she could and waited for steam to start rising from the porcelain fixture. She let her hands soak in the water, making them warmer.

Edward's eyes were half-closed when she returned, and the sandwich was gone. Using the remote on the table, Bella switched on her iPod and filling the room with the soft jazz playlist she'd last listened to. Edward's green eyes tracked her around the room until she arrived back at the bed with a towel and the vial of massage oil Alice had passed her, and she climbed up on the bed, straddling his hips, making sure to keep her weight balanced on her knees.

"Relax, Edward," she whispered soothingly, pouring some oil into her warmed hands. Feeling as though she was barely touching him, she slowly swept her hands across his shoulders and down his spine. "You must tell me if I hurt you," she whispered. "I want this to feel good for you, but I don't know how much pressure is too much."

"Hm." Edward hummed happily. "That's almost perfect. You can give a bit more," he said softly, his voice still a bit hoarse with sleep.

Bella sang along with the music softly as she complied, feeling the tight knots in his back and shoulders give under her patient ministrations. She felt the muscles twitch and ease as she manipulated them and heard his back crack softly with his gentle sigh of relief. Bella rubbed down his arms and hands, gently popping each of his knuckles.

"You're very good at this," Edward slurred, nearly asleep again.

"Sh," she kissed the back of his head. "Relax. Let me take care of you."

He fell quiet after a soft laugh and she shifted to the end of the bed, removing the blanket before working over his hamstrings, calves, and feet, working over the pressure points in the balls of his feet, smiling at his giggles when she ran a fingernail over his arches. When she finished, she tapped him on the bum and ordered him to turn over.

When he hesitated, Bella knew what he was hiding, and she smiled. The scent of his arousal had been growing, and it brought back memories of the encounter a few weeks previous, and the others that had followed. "You've got something there I haven't seen before, Edward?" she teased lightly. She knew that through his grief, he probably hadn't been experiencing anything close to arousal, but she also knew that he was a seventeen year old boy and that hormones were unpredictable things and after all, they hadn't experienced much together, but she'd still just had her hands all over his body. "Thinking good thoughts, love?"

Edward flushed, his cheeks and ears pinking as he turned over, and sure enough, the bulge in his boxers was unmistakable. Bella shifted up onto her knees and rose to kiss him softly. "Don't be embarrassed," she spoke softly against his lips. "I think I'd be hurt if I didn't get a rise out of you."

Edward groaned at her pun and Bella laughed quietly, kissing him again before returning to her slow and gentle worshipful healing of his body. She resumed at his feet, up his shins and quads, ignoring his erection for the time being, careful of how she repositioned herself to work on the front of his shoulders. Her hands were still warm from the friction when she was finished, lightly massaging a bit more oil into his chest and abdomen, having successfully turned Edward into a puddle of man-shaped goo.

She kissed him again, tracing a lightly oiled hand over his cheekbone, letting him press the kiss a bit deeper when his tongue probed at her lips, seeking entrance. She let him in, and their tongues danced for a long moment until Edward broke off to breathe, his eyes still closed and a small smile on his lips. Bella felt very proud of herself. Of course, she hadn't gone unaffected by the experience, the scent of Edward himself, mixed with the oil and the tangysweetsharp scent of his arousal had heightened her own, something she was getting more acquainted with through their previous experimentations after having been more or less celibate since finding Carlisle.

But despite Edward's quite obvious arousal and the building heat of her own, Bella knew they weren't ready to fully become mates. She wasn't ready, despite her love for Edward, and she knew that he wasn't emotionally ready for that connection as he still worked through the grief from the death of his parents. So she tamped down on her own growing lust and arousal and briefly considered helping Edward with his not-so-little problem, but decided not to press the issue. She had wanted to take things slowly, and she hoped that he would come to her, when he was ready for them to start experimenting with intimacy again.

Bella slipped off the bed and Edward groaned quietly. She went into the bathroom and filled a glass with water. "Drink this," she said softly, her arm going under his shoulders to help him sit up, knowing he probably felt bruised from the massage. "The massage will have released toxins into your system, so you should drink a lot of water today so you don't feel like hell." She spoke softly into his ear, playing with his hair once more. "Do you feel better?" He was still slightly flushed, but his breathing had calmed and he looked infinitely less tense than he had.

Edward nodded, playing idly with the empty glass. "Yes." He kissed her gently. "Sore, but better. Lighter."

"Good." She kissed him again sweetly, then pushed him off the bed playfully. "Go shower off all that oil so I can change the sheets." She laughed as he pouted, but she slid off the bed and wrapped her arms around him, just holding him close. She felt him shift and heard the glass hit the table as he enveloped her as well, and they just stood for a long moment, soaking each other up.

"Thank you," Edward whispered after several moments of quiet music. "For taking care of me. For being here. For loving me."

Bella had no words to respond to that, so she simply kissed him again and rested her head back on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as they swayed gently to the music, until they were interrupted by a crash from downstairs that made Edward jump, followed by Esme yelling at Emmett to be more careful with things.

Edward laughed quietly and kissed Bella's forehead. "I'm going to shower, and then maybe we can go to my house?" he asked quietly "I'd like to play a bit."

"Whatever you desire," Bella answered.

They split apart, Edward to the shower and Bella to the linen closet in the hall for clean sheets to replace the oiled ones. She quickly put clean sheets on and ran down to the laundry room to wash the others.

"Bella?" Alice popped up. "There's going to be a storm tonight. You and Edward want to join us for baseball?"

Bella smiled. "I'll ask him. We're going to his place so he can play for awhile, but we'll probably be back."

Alice nodded, her face growing more serious for a moment. "He's doing alright?"

Bella smiled. "Yeah. It's going to take some time, but we're going to be fine."

Alice returned the smile. "It's nice to hear you say 'we,'" she commented. "Oh, and so you can be prepared, I saw a trio of vampires coming this way. I'm not sure when, exactly, but I think they may pass us by. Just so you can keep a look out as well."

"Thanks, Alice." Bella kissed her sister on the cheek and heard the water shut off in her bathroom. "I haven't sensed anything so far, but now that I know they're on the way, I'll pay better attention."

"You've been distracted lately," Alice said with a soft smile. "It's alright. Edward needed you."

"And I need him," she said softly.

Alice beamed. "Did you guys talk?" There was a knowing glint in her eye, and Bella knew she already had the answer to her own question.

Bella nodded. "After graduation, unless something happens before then that would cause the change to be necessary." And Bella didn't really want to think about any situation that could cause her to need to change Edward that suddenly.

Alice let out a yelp of joy and leapt up to hug Bella. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Me too," Bella answered, hugging Alice back.

"Go tend to your boy," Alice said teasingly, letting her go. "Meet us on the field around 7."

Bella nodded and started the washer and went back upstairs to change.

Edward had already dressed in jeans and was tugging a black sweater over his head when Bella entered the room. She smiled at him and went to her drawers in the bureau and dressed similarly in jeans and a long sleeved Henley. "Alice said there's going to be a storm tonight. Want to join us for baseball?"

Edward frowned. "You play baseball when it storms?"

"Yup," Bella answered happily.

"Oh-kay," he said with a shrug, clearly not understanding. "Sure, I'd love to."

"Good." Bella kissed him quickly and found socks and her trainers, knowing Alice would gather the baseball gear and have it at the field.

As soon as Edward was ready, the climbed into the Volvo and made the short trip to Edward's house. It was quiet and felt empty, and since no one had really been in the house for over a week, there was a fine layer of dust over almost everything.

"I should clean out the fridge," Edward said absently as they entered, and so Bella led him in that direction and they took a few minutes to clear out the perishables from the refrigerator and Edward carried out the trash.

While he was out, Bella wandered through the living room looking at the pictures on the mantle. There were two that caught her eye; a recent one of Liz and Ed, and one that she guessed was a few years old of all three of them. Bella slipped them off the shelf and _ran_ out to the car, placing them under the passenger seat, to be put on Edward's desk in their study.

When Edward returned, they sat at the piano for while and Edward played while Bella listened, or sometimes they chatted as he dabbled at senseless notes or random snatches of melody, and they just enjoyed more of each other's company. Bella thought Edward looked even lighter after a couple of hours playing, and she was glad that he'd finally asked to move the piano to the Cullen home.

The afternoon quickly turned to evening and after scrounging something for Edward to eat in the mostly-bare kitchen, Bella slid behind the wheel of Edward's car to drive them to the nearest point to run the rest of the way to the field where the family would meet to play ball.

As he slid into the seat, Edward kicked the picture frames Bella'd slipped under the edge earlier. He pulled them out and looked at them, then at Bella.

She shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "I was going to put them in the study for you," she said quietly. "But I'll put them back, if"

Edward kissed her cheek gently. "It's alright. Thanks." He spent a few more minutes staring at the photos before stashing them back under the seat for safekeeping as Bella pulled up next to Carlisle's Mercedes and Emmett's huge jeep.

"We have to run from here," Bella told Edward.

He grimaced, but let her pull him onto his back and take off through the forest. Bella ran and within a few moments they broke into the clearing where the rest of the family was waiting, putting out the bases and sorting out the gear.

Alice was watching the growing clouds in the sky, waiting to tell them when they could begin.

Bella turned to Edward. "You'll probably want to stick with Esme and be umpire," she explained. "I think this might be a little rough for you."

Edward quirked an eyebrow.

"Edward, no one is wearing a mitt," she pointed out, and grinned as his eyes widened a bit in comprehension. She knew he was disappointed in not being able to really play. "But we might let you hit," she said with a smirk.

"Gee, thanks," he said dryly, but kissed her quickly on the mouth as Alice shook herself slightly.

"Game on!" she called, taking up her position on the 'pitcher's mound' just as a loud clap of thunder broke over their heads. The family split up into their established teams – Alice, Emmett, and Carlisle against Bella, Rose, and Jasper, with Esme and Edward teaming up to referee.

Rose was up first, and the taunting started from all sides as Alice wound up and pitched. Rosalie swung and connected with the ball, taking off at full vampire speed to round the bases. As she neared home, Carlisle came bounding out of the woods and launched the ball at Emmett, who was bee lining for home base. Emmett and Rose collided over the plate with a crash, and when the dust cleared, Edward and Esme were consulting before Esme loudly declared Rose as out.

The rain held off as they played, good natured ribbing coming from everyone, even Edward, as they rotated back and forth.

Bella froze mid swing at her third at-bat when a creeping tingling ran up her spine. She instantly casted out with her senses, noting the family beginning to close ranks around her and Alice, who had similarly frozen. There were unfamiliar vampires in the area, and they were close.

"They heard our game," Alice said softly. "They'll be here in a two minutes."

Bella glanced at Edward. He seemed to realize something was wrong, but he didn't seem frightened as yet, though the rest of the family was completely on edge. Nomads were not known for sharing their lifestyle.

"Edward, stay back, son," Carlisle advised him. "Try not to speak, if you can help it."

He nodded and Bella took his hand, pulling him behind her as the family loosely gathered together and she caught her first glimpse of the trio emerge from the woods. Among them was one face she never thought she'd see again, and she froze. Three random nomads were nothing out of the ordinary, really, though they didn't have much contact with most other vampires. But even after 100 years, she'd know that face anywhere.

The vampire in the middle of the pack of three was James.

"Bella?" Jasper asked cautiously.

"It's James," she whispered, and even she felt the collective shock run through her family. Edward's grip on her hand changed and she struggled to remind herself not to hurt him by clutching back as fiercely as she'd wished. "Alice, can we run?" She started gathering her shield around her, but knew from the look on James' face that he already knew she was there.

"No time," Alice murmured. "If you run, he'll chase you," she said firmly as they continued to approach.

Emmett swore and they drew closer together, pressing Bella and Edward into the center of the circle, protecting them.

"Well, hello, Isabella," James drawled after they came to a stop a few feet from the gathered Cullen clan. "Fancy meeting you here, after all this time."

"James." Bella struggled to keep her voice flat and her shield at minimum so she didn't influence Jasper or Alice, but tried to direct it at Edward, to keep him safe and hidden, though she doubted that James hadn't already caught the human scent among them. She knew James' only talent was as a hunter, but the two with him were unfamiliar to her and she didn't know what to expect.

"I must say," he continued. "I'm surprised to see you alive. I'd have thought you'd have starved into ferality long ago."

"You knew there was another way," she responded dryly, trying to keep as much emotion out of her voice as possible. "And I found others who accepted me and my way of life. As you see."

"Of course. We'd heard something of a coven having settled somewhat permanently here. Forgive me," he said, turning to address Carlisle, his red eyes shining. "I'm James. This is Laurent." He indicated a tall black-skinned male with dreadlocks, dressed in tattered jeans and a long leather duster. "And Victoria." A slightly smaller female, with bright red hair, a large fur stole and a mini-skirt.

Carlisle nodded. "My family. You know Bella," he said. "The rest are Esme, Alice, Edward, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie." Bella noted that besides Bella, he was careful not to single out anyone, or point out identities. "I'm Carlisle Cullen. Do you plan on staying in the area long?"

"Not at all," Laurent spoke up. "We're merely passing through."

"I'll have to ask you to avoid hunting in this immediate area," Carlisle started, but Laurent held up a hand.

"Of course. We've recently fed, anyway."

The wind gusted again and all three vampires stiffened, though James' expression went wild. "You have a snack with you?"

Bella felt Edward shift and cower behind her, hopefully trying to hide his features from the new arrivals as a low growl started to reverberate through the Cullens, and bodies shifted to take on a more defensive stance. Her shield hadn't blocked him then, at least not enough.

"A friend of my children, from school," Carlisle said.

"How quaint," Victoria said, her high soprano voice beautiful, but dripping with malice.

"Now, now, Vicki, don't be rude," James chastised her, his eyes locked on Bella's. "Let's play nice with the vegetarians, shall we?"

"I think, perhaps, you'd best be on your way," Carlisle said in his doctor voice, firm, yet soft.

"No, I don't think so," James responded. "I'd like to speak with Isabella. Catch up, if you will."

Bella shuddered. "No," she said, finding her voice. "I don't think so," she deliberately echoed James' words.

"Oh, Isabella, haven't you missed me at all?" James' voice turned a sickly sweet and Bella felt Edward tense behind her, and she knew he had to be fighting the urge not to say anything and draw James' attention.

"No." Bella wanted nothing more than to take Edward and walk off the field, but she knew the minute she did, James would turn her into the object of a hunt once more.

"Well, then maybe she'll talk to me," Victoria spoke up, and Bella was instantly on her guard again. "Perhaps she'd like to explain how she's managed to keep such a hold on James for all these years."


	18. Chapter 18

Edward froze at the sound of Victoria's voice. He'd been trying so hard to stay still, to mimic the movements of the Cullen family, to hide within their ranks and keeps James' attention from him. But from the sound of things, he wasn't sure he was going to get away with it.

As soon as Bella had said it was James approaching, Edward had had a bad feeling. He could almost read the intent on James' face as he'd started talking to Bella. The sinking feeling in his stomach told him that James was going to try to get Bella to go back with him.

"Now, Victoria, that's not really fair," James drawled again, stepping toward her and wrapping his arm loosely around her waist.

Edward could see that they were mated, on some level, but he could see that James didn't care as much for the female as she did for him. And she had it out for Bella. He knew this wasn't going to end well. He glanced to the side when he saw Jasper shift, apparently coming to some of the same conclusions.

"Isabella doesn't know how much it hurt me when she left," James was continuing. "Or how much I want her back with me."

Victoria looked like she'd been slapped and Bella shuddered. "I have a family, James. I found my mate and others who love and care about me, and I'm not leaving with you."

"Don't be so sure about that, pet," James sneered, and Edward flinched back as all hell started to break loose.

Jasper snarled as James threw himself at Bella, and launched himself to intercept the long haired blonde vampire as Bella stepped back and knocked Edward to the ground. When Edward looked up, he saw James locked in on him, and fear surged through him, as the hunter's red eyes locked onto his own.

"Human," James breathed, glancing quickly at Bella, who was circling Victoria and Jasper, and smirking. "Isabella's mate? Human?" He laughed, a horribly evil yet beautiful sound. "Of course!" He roared, settling into an attacking crouch while Edward scrambled, trying to get to his feet, to run, to do anything.

His fingers caught on the grip of one of the baseball bats they'd dropped when the trio had appeared and he scrabbled at it, trying to get a better grip. The atmosphere in the clearing was charged with electricity both from the fight and the building storm.

Emmett landed in a crouch over Edward's legs, growling. Edward used the opportunity to get to his feet. He tried to stay behind Emmett who was dancing around trying to stay between Edward and James, and Edward could feel the others in the clearing. He didn't think that the three would be any match for six others, but he knew the Cullens to be largely peaceful, and so didn't think much about their more animalistic tendencies to protect what was theirs.

He glanced to one side and saw Esme and Carlisle restraining the dark one, Laurent, keeping him out of the fight, while Alice was at Jasper's side, and Rose was just to Emmett's left, glaring at James.

"Has she told you what a whore she was for me?" James was snarling at Edward, lunging at Emmett.

Edward was smart enough to know not to give in to the other's taunts. He clutched the bat in his fist, his only (yet ineffective, he knew) chance at his own defense.

"Shit!" Emmett swore and Edward watched the blonde come at him.

"I'm not gonna kill you fast," James drawled. "Because that wouldn't be any fun."

Edward brought up the bat and swung with everything he had, catching James on the chin. The impact vibrated up the bat and into his hands, causing him to drop it, and clutch his hands to his chest in pain.

Fortunately, James was stunned for a moment, long enough for Emmett to get back between them. "Nice shot, Edward," Emmett praised as Rosalie appeared at his side, helping him steady himself.

"For that, you're really going to suffer, boy," James spat. "She deserves to watch you die, bit by bit for the way she left me. For the way she's haunted me. For how she teased me all those years, and now, has found a _human_," the word fell like a curse from James' lips "to be her mate, when I wasn't enough."

Edward watched as Emmett attacked with a ferocious snarl, defending his little sister's honor, but also her mate. They were moving so fast, Edward could barely keep track of what was happening. One moment Rose was at his side, the next she was gone, having jumped into the fray, and Edward found himself on his back staring up at the cloudy sky, a sharp pain in his leg and he looked down to see his tibia fractured, the bottom half clearly at an unnatural angle. He couldn't move as pain and nausea ripped through him, his head throbbing as well.

His vision swam as he tried to sit up, hearing Bella scream for him from across the clearing. He saw her grappling with the redhead, Alice and Jasper alongside. He saw the blur that had to be James, Emmett, and Rosalie moving back in his direction (he could only assume he'd been knocked down and ran over in their fight) and he struggled to get out of the way, dragging himself toward a tree, biting down on his lip to keep from crying out.

"No!" He heard Rosalie's cry and saw something go flying from their fight, and heard her answering growl. Emmett had dropped to his knees, holding one shoulder, and _his fucking arm was missing_. Bile rose in Edward's throat and he coughed and spluttered, his ribs protesting the movement as he rolled to his side to spit.

Rosalie went flying, crashing into a copse of trees across the clearing where she stopped moving for minute.

Edward froze as James stalked toward him.

"I could tear you limb from limb, boy," James spoke, his tone full of malice. "But since you won't get put back together, I think I'll just drain you dry, instead."

Edward was dizzy and nauseous, pain swirling throughout his body as James drew closer. He put his hands up automatically in a gesture of defense, knowing it'd do him little good. He watched in sick fascination as James grabbed his arm, pulling him bodily forward, lifting him mostly from the ground and sank his teeth into Edward's wrist.

He cried out at the pain of it, and again when he was unceremoniously dropped onto his broken leg when something slammed into James from behind. Both of his wrists were throbbing, from the bat strike and the bite, and dark whorls threatened to take over his vision.

"Hold on, Edward," he heard Bella's voice somewhere near him. "Carlisle! Hold on for me baby, please."

It was starting to burn. He could feel the fire creeping up from his wrist, through his arm. "It burns," he whimpered. "Oh, god," he cried.

"I know baby, hold on for me, please. Carlisle, what do I do?" He felt Bella's cool touch on his burning skin and he whimpered again.

"See if you can suck out the venom, Bella." Carlisle's voice sounded as if it was coming from far away, yet it sounded patient.

Edward cried out in pain as he felt something against his burning wrist and the darkness spun about him. He felt like he was going to be sick, and that he was burning at the same time.

He screamed again when his leg was jostled, and he smelled sulfur around him. The burning slowed and was replaced by something cool, and he heard familiar voices, but couldn't make out any words. He let the darkness take him.

*******

Bella'd barely had time to react after knocking Edward down, everything happened so fast. Once James had caught Edward's human scent, he'd chosen his path and made Edward his target, while Victoria came after her. Jasper was at her side in an instant, growling sub-vocally while Bella hissed and spat as she circled her female opponent.

"Bitch," Victoria spat at her, lunging for a piece of her.

Bella dodged her attack, sensing Alice join Jasper in taking on Victoria. She dropped her shield completely, giving Jasper and Alice their complete advantage in the fight, knowing there was no sense in trying to hide at that point. She wasn't enough of a strategist or fighter to be able to use her gift in a fight like Jasper might be able to.

"Do you have any idea what it's been like living in your shadow for a century?" the redhead continued, spitting venom as she hissed.

Bella went on the offensive, leaping at Victoria and sinking her teeth into whatever flesh she could. Victoria's shawl got in the way and Bella was flung aside, skidding across the grass, leaving trails where her feet landed and she slid, taking the cloak with her. Jasper and Alice growled and circled, and Bella threw the tattered mess aside and ran back into the fray.

"Isabella was such a perfect fuck," Victoria said, mimicking James' tone. "She knew her place. She fit perfectly with my body. Fuck," she spat. "You were just a whore, Isabella. No better than anyone else. But he fucking loved you, and he's never really loved me."

At least Bella understood what her deal was after that. "Yeah, well, you can have him, bitch," she swore so rarely, but the word easily fell from her lips. "I never wanted him."

Jasper and Alice circled around and Bella spared a moment to look for the rest of her family. Carlisle and Esme had Laurent, and Emmett and Rose had taken on James. She watched, horrified as Edward was steam rolled by her bear of a brother and her bastard hunter of a sire.

"Edward!" She screamed for him as Victoria pounced again, and she knew they had to end this soon, before Edward was more severely injured or worse.

Bella had never been trained as a fighter, though Jasper had attempted to teach her some basics after he'd first joined the family, and all of that went out of her head when she saw Edward hurt, and the immediate threat in front of her.

She threw herself at Victoria with a screaming cry and she had a feeling she epitomized a cat fight at the moment, wailing at her enemy as she clawed and swung at her.

"Look at how pathetic you are," Victoria sneered as they fought. "You were replaced within a year, you know. He changed me to take your place."

Bella found her mood swings distracting, so she tried to focus on the redhead's movements and block her words, but she found it didn't work.

"Falling in love with a _human_," Victoria continued. "You can't even take human blood, but you're going to _mate_ that boy?" She laughed, low and dangerous. "Or are you going to change him, too? Just like James changed you? Will you treat him the same way?"

Bella snarled. "I love him. I _never_ loved James. James used me and threw me away, like he's using you. I'm sorry for that, I really am, but I'm not going to let you hurt my family."

Victoria growled and launched herself at Bella once more. In her single minded attention getting to Bella, Jasper and Alice were able to get behind and around her. Bella heard Rose's cry and a few beats later the sound of something crashing against stone. Jasper, Alice, and Bella wrestled with Victoria, each of them getting in bites and being bitten in return until they were finally able to overpower her.

Bella had the dubious honor of removing Victoria's head and she threw it aside as Jasper and Alice tore her other limbs off. Esme appeared with a torch in one hand, the cigarette lighter from one of the vehicles in the other. "Go to Edward," she said, beginning to pile the limbs and torched them. Bella took off towards James with Alice and Jasper at her heels as the first wisp of purple smoke rose.

Emmett was holding his left arm in his right and Rosalie was running back across the clearing. Bella didn't pause in her dash toward her love. Alice leapt onto James' back, sending him staggering forward, causing Edward to fall and cry out in pain.

And that's when Bella smelled his blood. She tried to block it out as she focused on Edward, letting her family take care of James.

"Hold on, Edward," Bella said, reaching for him, swallowing the venom that was continuing to pool in her mouth. "Carlisle! Hold on for me baby, please." She saw the bite mark on his wrist, the way both of his hands were already starting to swell (though she didn't know what from). She heard the harsh rasp of his breathing, as if his chest were too tight.

"It burns," he whimpered. "Oh, God," he cried. Carlisle skidded to a stop next to her, quickly shifting into doctor mode.

"I know baby, hold on for me, please. Carlisle, what do I do?" She smoothed her hands over Edward's face.

"See if you can suck out the venom, Bella." Carlisle turned to Alice, who had crouched next to them. "Alice, hold your breath if you can. Find me something to splint his leg with."

Alice scurried off while Bella turned to Carlisle, conflicted. "I don't know if I can," she whispered. "What if I can't stop?"

"You can, and you will, Bella. He needs you and you need him. Now unless you want the change to happen like this, you need to do it." Carlisle brushed his thumb over Bella's cheek.

Edward cried out in pain as Bella lifted his wrist and placed her mouth around James' bite. She drank deeply of him, swallowing the sweetest tasting thing she could remember. Bella smelled the sulfur from the fire as James was burned. She continued for a few minutes until she felt Carlisle's hand on her shoulder. "He's clean, Bella. You can stop," he urged quietly.

And she did, just as Alice arrived with some small branches. Edward screamed again when Carlisle manipulated his leg, and splinted it. "We've got to get him to hospital," Carlisle said, but even as he said the words, Emmett's jeep came crashing through the brush, Rose driving.

Carlisle scooped up Edward, who had fallen unconscious and leapt into the back of the jeep. "Get Bella back to the house," he ordered. "And feed Emmett so that arm can fuse back on. I'll call as soon as I know anything."

Rosalie sped off, and Bella wanted nothing more than to follow, but before she could even voice the thought and tell them to be careful, that was her broken mate they were hauling around like so many potatoes, the first wave of pain hit her, and she doubled over with a whimper.

"Bella?" Alice was there in a moment, cradling her. "Bella!"

"It's the blood sickness," Jasper explained, lifting her easily. "Help Esme hunt something up for Emmett, and meet us back at the house."

A wave of calm serenity crashed over Bella and she sighed a bit, but it did little to dull the pain. She'd taken so much more human blood than she could remember, and the last time had been so long ago. She cried out again as another stabbing pain went through her. She tried to curl up, but Jasper's arms held her still. She was barely aware that they were moving as Jasper ran them back home.

"Stay with me Bella," Jasper was saying quietly. "Tell me what you need."

Bella shivered feeling her body temperature change as her venom tried to burn off the invading blood cells. "Warm blankets," she gasped out through another spike of pain. "Just put me to bed and wrap me up," she muttered, feeling the dark state that would pass for unconsciousness approaching. "Stay. Talk to me." She shivered again, cursing her physiology once again as she felt helpless to do anything while Edward needed her.

"Sh, Bella, you're gonna be fine. You saved Edward, and you'll never have to deal with that bastard again," Jasper said, his accent slightly more pronounced. His lips pressed against her forehead and she shivered again at the coolness of them. "Esme and Alice will be home soon, Emmett too," he assured her.

Bella felt herself settled onto something soft and opened her eyes to see her room. When Jasper released her, she turned onto her side and curled into the fetal position as the pain started radiating out to completely envelop her. She whimpered softly after Jasper disappeared and she heard the dryer kick on, and then heard other voices.

"Hey, Bells," Emmett said softly as he entered. "Esme wants us to convalesce together. Something about it being easier to have two grumps in the same place."

Bella tried to smile at his teasing, but she couldn't find the energy. He looked better, his arm back in place, though she could see the muscles and tendons still fusing back together as he settled on the floor near the head of her bed. Esme and Alice followed a few beats later.

Alice perched on the bed and tried to soothe Bella by rubbing her back, and Bella stammered an apology when Alice flinched back when Bella whimpered at the touch.

"I'll be alright," she assured them, feeling her body start to tremble. "Just keep talking to me, give me something to anchor to." None of them had been through this with her before, and even though it'd been a very long time, she still remembered what helped the most. "When Carlisle calls, tell me about Edward, even if I don't answer." Vampires didn't sleep and she couldn't really lose consciousness, no matter how much she'd wish to. But she could withdraw from the world, and she did so to the best of her ability. "I'll still hear you," she promised.

Jasper returned a moment later and wrapped her in the warm blankets and Bella sighed at the contact as it helped ease her pain. She couldn't really feel the heat, but she knew that it helped her muscles relax.

"What else can we do, Bella?" Alice asked softly.

"Just keep me warm," she breathed. "I know…it seems strange…I can't really feel it…but it helps with the pain."

"Alright, we should let her rest," Esme said finally.

"Stay!" Bella said more sharply than the intended.

"Of course, sweetheart," Esme soothed. "We're not going anywhere. Just no more questions for right now."

Bella sighed and let her eyes close. The voices of her family washed over her as she listened to Esme gently order Alice and Jasper to get movies and Bella's favorite books. She focused on the voices as they read to her, riding out waves of pain and fever. She lost track of time and days passing, though she heard Carlisle and Rose's voices join the mix at some point, and she thought that she'd even perhaps smelled and heard Edward.

She let their voices carry her through the haze of pain until it finally broke days later and she opened her eyes to see Edward staring down at her with a soft, fond smile on his face.

**[a/n: please let me know how you think the fight scene worked out. I struggle with them, and feedback would be greatly appreciated.**

**Next chapter is the last, and I hope you don't think this was all wrapped up too nice and neatly. I'm thinking about a sequel, and I'm humbled by all the requests/promises to read the sequel if/when I write it.]**


	19. Chapter 19

**[well folks, this here is the last chapter. There's no epilogue, since I tied everything up all nice and neatly in this little (12 pg/6007 words) package. **

**Thanks to everyone who left a review.**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and the affiliated characters do not belong to me, and I make no profit from this work.] **

Edward had been cleared to return to the Cullen house two days after surgery to put his tibia back together. He'd come out of the fight with a broken left tibia and hairline fractures in the small bones in both of his wrists from hitting James with the baseball bat and two cracked ribs from being trampled.

Emmett and Carlisle had been his chauffeurs back to the house, and Edward was unceremoniously carried up to the bedroom he shared with Bella, his casted leg sticking out at odd angles. Emmett carried him like he weighed nothing, turning to various angles to get him through doorways.

Even though Carlisle and Emmett had explained Bella's condition, the sight of her was enough to make Edward's breath catch. She was curled up in a nest of blankets, eyes closed, twitching and shifting restlessly, though it didn't appear that she was awake. Alice had been reading to her and lightly stroking through her hair when Edward was carried into the room, and she beamed at him, though she didn't stop reading.

"It's good to see you, Edward," Esme greeted him quietly, kissing his forehead. "I think she'll be better, knowing you're here."

"How is she?" Edward asked. Emmett had stopped by to see him in the hospital, but he understood that the rest of the family was putting their focus toward Bella, and he hadn't minded.

Alice scooted off the bed after apologizing to Bella for the break in the reading so that Emmett could settle Edward down next to Bella, on the edge of the bed so he could slip out to take care of his needs.

"She's in pain," Jasper spoke up from across the room. He'd been quiet and still and Edward was ashamed to say he'd not noticed his presence, though Jasper waved him off when he was about to apologize. The blonde looked stressed and in pain himself, and Edward realized that Bella must not be able to shield herself as well if Jasper was feeling as much of her pain as it appeared.

"How long will she be like this?" He reached out with one hand, the brace on his wrist restricting his mobility, but he was still able to stroke through her tangled and matted hair. She seemed to have become less restless in the last few moments, but Edward couldn't have been sure.

"Days," Carlisle put in, propping a pair of crutches against the wall near the bed. Edward could look forward to using the crutches until he could get into a walking cast when his leg healed a bit more. "It's different every time, and depends on how much blood she ingested. Hopefully just another day, two at most."

"We're taking turns reading to her, and watching movies," Rosalie added, setting a few things on the table at Edward's elbow.

"She said it'd give her something to anchor to," Alice added, lithely jumping onto the bed on Bella's other side, reaching around Bella to give Edward an awkward one-armed hug.

Edward nodded.

"Do you need anything, Edward?" Esme asked.

He glanced at the table and found his pain medication, a glass of water and a pitcher next to it, his iPod (Bella's was playing quietly in the room) and a stack of books. "No, Esme, I'm alright, I think, other than a nap."

"You don't mind if we keep reading, do you?" Alice looked at him hopefully, and Edward knew she just wanted to do whatever she could to help her sister.

"Not at all, so long as you don't think I'm rude for sleeping through it."

The family laughed softly. Jasper and Emmett excused themselves and Carlisle to take a quick hunt, and Rosalie settled down on the chaise while Esme disappeared downstairs to take care of blankets or something. Edward quickly slipped into a light slumber with Alice's voice and the soft music lulling him further than the tug of the painkillers.

Edward slept a lot over the course of the next day and a half as his body continued to heal. He was grateful to be back home if for no other reason that Esme's cooking, despite her being a vampire that didn't actually eat what she cooked, was far superior to what he was fed at the hospital. In his periods of wakefulness he took his turns reading to Bella or just singing to her softly with the iPod. Her movements slowly ceased, and Edward was hopeful that her torture was almost over.

Late in the afternoon on Edward's second day home, Jasper sighed and the tension seemed to flow out of him. Edward glanced up from Bella (he'd been attempting to brush her hair, but his wrists weren't cooperating) at the sound.

"She's getting back in control," Jasper explained from his seat on the floor where he was reading aloud. "She's shielding herself again. Bella's known that we were here the whole time, and we've been grounding her enough that the pain hasn't taken her away, but wasn't aware enough of us on a conscious level." Jasper rose gracefully, leaving the book on the table with the others. "It shouldn't be long, now," he advised Edward. He gave Edward's shoulder a squeeze and dropped a kiss on the back of Bella's head (she was still curled up in a ball) and left them in privacy.

Edward turned his attention fully to Bella, continuing to brush his fingers through her hair. He was smiling softly when her eyes opened, red rimmed topaz, but clear of pain.

"Hi," he said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear and returning his hands to his lap.

"Hello," she answered just as quietly.

"How are you feeling?" He studied her face and she returned his small smile, though he thought there was a tinge of sadness to it.

"Alright, I think." She stretched a bit and made a low sound in her throat. "Sore, but nothing a hot soak or a massage won't cure."

Edward's own smile turned a bit sad as he displayed his hands. "I'm sorry I can't return the massage favor anytime soon," he whispered.

"Oh, Edward," Bella breathed, uncurling her body and sitting up. She had been changed into a tank top and yoga pants at some point, and she let the blankets fall away from her body as she gently took his hands into her own. "How did you manage that?"

Edward flushed a bit, embarrassed, looking down at their conjoined hands. "I hit James with a baseball bat." He looked up at Bella's quiet chuckle.

She kissed him gently. "You silly, brave, gorgeous boy," she breathed. "How are you? Really?"

"Better now you're back with us," he said quietly. "Still in some pain, but nothing unmanageable," he explained. "I don't know that I can ever thank you enough for saving my life," he said honestly, reclaiming one of his hands and drawing a finger over her facial features. But can I ask…" he trailed off, chewing the inside of his cheek gently. "Why didn't you just let the change happen?" Edward asked her gently.

Bella sighed and smiled sadly. "A couple of reasons. I wanted to be the one that changed you. I want it to be _my_ venom that runs through your body," she said. "You know how close we are as a family, and a large part of that is because Carlisle's venom binds him to Esme, Rose, and Emmett, to a degree. I want that for us. I want to know that something of me will always be with you, and I think that shared experience will only bring us closer." She smiled at him, ducking her head. "And because I promised you that I would, after high school. You've got another year, and I want you to finish before we have to go into isolation to let you adjust. I want you to at least have the human experience of graduation and prom, and losing your virginity," she said with a wink "and maybe travel a bit and enjoy some things as a human."

She paused and looked at him, meeting his eyes. "I promise you, love, that when the time comes, I will not hesitate. I want you, forever. But forever doesn't have to start traumatically by my psychopathic sire. I want to do it right."

Edward nodded. He could understand that reasoning. "In light of the conversation we had the other day, I can understand that," he assured her. He kissed her gently. "I'm glad you're back with us," he repeated.

Bella shifted again and he could tell she was being careful not to jostle him too much. She embraced him, her arms encircling his waist, chin on his shoulder. "So am I, Edward." She kissed his temple and they remained like that until Edward needed a few moments to be human and Bella took the opportunity to shower. Edward pouted at that – he was restricted to sponge baths for awhile, but Bella reminded him of how enjoyable that experience could be and promised a demonstration later that evening.

Once she'd showered, Bella helped Edward down the stairs and they joined the rest of the family, who were overjoyed that Bella was back with them. They spent the day together playing cheesy board games and reconnecting as a family. Emmett proved to be just as competitive at Monopoly and Scrabble as he was with his video games, though Esme, much to Edward's astonishment, proved to be the most shrewd with her money and ended up owning most of the board when they'd finished Monopoly. Bella and Jasper, unsurprisingly, swept Scrabble and Boggle.

It didn't take long for Edward to start feeling tired again and Bella made their excuses before helping him back upstairs.

"Strip," she ordered gently after she got Edward settled on the chaise. "I'll be back in a moment."

"What?" Edward looked at her, confused.

She giggled. "Edward. I promised you a sponge bath."

"Oh." Edward felt his cheeks warm slightly and Bella dropped a kiss on his forehead before walking off with a laugh. Edward did as he was told and slowly and carefully stripped down to his boxers, finishing just as Bella walked in with two steaming bowls, a towel and two wash rags draped over her arms.

Edward watched as Bella gracefully settled everything on the floor at Edward's feet before she turned the iPod dock on and selected a soft classical playlist that floated through the room. She drifted into the bathroom and came back with Edward's soap, shave cream and razor. When she came back, she knelt at Edward's feet, and took his hands into hers.

"Can I take these off?" She asked quietly, running her fingers over his wrist braces.

Edward didn't know, but he supposed she heard an answer from Carlisle as she began to gently undo the straps on the stiff braces keeping his wrists immobile. She hummed quietly along with the music, setting the braces aside and Edward sighed quietly, feeling air move over the skin of his forearms, drying the dampness that the confines had inflicted on his skin.

"Don't move." She whispered the order, reaching for a cloth and dunking it in one of the steaming bowls before squeezing out some of his body wash and building up a lather.

Edward moaned softly as the warm rag ran over his chest and neck. Bella's touch was gentle and sensuous, and felt better than any shower he could remember, and he knew it was because she put all of her love into the touch of taking care of him. Bella took her time cleaning him up, following the soapy swipes with the clean one. She washed his wrists before moving to his lower body, removing the soap and drying them, and restrapping them carefully.

She rose up on her knees and kissed Edward softly when she was done with his hands before sinking back down and reaching for his good leg. She repeated the process, beginning with his foot, and he giggled and twitched away at the too light touches on the bottom of his foot, and her laugher echoed his.

"Lay back," Bella said gently, helping him swing his legs around and lean back against the arm of the chaise, tucking a pillow under his casted leg.

Edward did as ordered, tipping his head back slightly and let his eyes drift closed as he stared at the ceiling. He felt the chaise shift and knew Bella had joined him. Something warm and damp was placed over his face, and Edward breathed in the steam.

"Bella?"

"The stubble's nice, but I think I prefer you clean shaven," she said lightly.

Edward laughed softly and opened his eyes to white fuzz instead of Bella's smile.

"Relax, Edward," Bella urged, and he could hear the smile in her voice. "Let me take care of you."

He settled back after one of his hands found Bella's thigh, and his fingertips rested there until she shifted to take the warm towel from his face. When she leaned over him, he moved to kiss her, his left hand cupping her cheek and sliding back into her hair awkwardly, but his message was clearly received as the kiss was pressed just a bit deeper, and Bella pulled away before the need to breathe became overwhelming. Edward pressed his lips against hers once more before settling back and letting her shave him.

If Edward thought being washed by the woman he loved was a sensual experience, it was nothing compared to letting her shave him. He was in a vulnerable position with a razor at his throat, but every touch was so tender, from lathering him up, to each stroke of the razor against his skin. He fought a smile as Bella sang quietly while she worked, watching her through half-open eyes as she smiled.

The warm towel was put back on when Bella was finished and she gently used it to swipe away any remaining bits of foam before placing both of her cool hands against his cheeks, running her thumbs down along his jaw line and under his chin. "Much better," she whispered, smiling, before she kissed him again and slid off the chaise (and his lap) and returned the used items to the bathroom.

Edward felt well and truly pampered and close to dozing off again, except for the dull throb that was creeping up his leg and back into his wrists. He couldn't reach his pills from his place on the chaise, and he knew that he'd soon be asleep after taking them, and he nearly levered himself from the chaise to cross the room for pajamas and to crawl into bed, but Bella was there with his pills, a glass of water, and a pair of sweatpants that were not Alice approved, he was sure.

"Tell me you were going to move," Bella said sternly, a smile playing at her lips.

"Nope." Edward met her gaze steadily, despite the fact she knew he was lying.

"What am I going to do with you?" Her tone was exasperated, but he could see the fondness in her eyes. He knew he was a miserable patient, and she'd only been conscious for a day to deal with him so far.

"Take it easy on me?" He offered.

Bella laughed as she handed over the pills and the glass, and held up the sweats for inspection. "How would you like these altered?" There was no way they'd fit over his cast.

Edward shrugged as he managed to get the glass to his mouth to swallow his pain medication. "Cut the leg all but off," he decided. He'd try not to sacrifice too much of his wardrobe and settle on doing wash more often. Well, he reminded himself, Esme would be doing his wash more often.

Just then there was a soft knock on the door, and Alice danced through with three different pairs of pants in her arms. "I've already altered these for you!" she chirped, and Edward fought to be un-self conscious lounging there in only his boxers, on display for her to see.

"Thanks, Alice," he said, and Bella took the clothes from her. Bella spoke to Alice so quietly and quickly that Edward couldn't catch the words before returning to his side as Alice slipped back out the door.

Edward was getting used to being helped with certain tasks, and since it was Bella helping him to the bathroom and then helping him put his pants on, he felt less uncomfortable than when it had been Esme or Emmett.

The painkillers were fast acting and Edward was beginning to feel them as Bella helped him back into bed. "Will you stay?" he asked her sleepily. He noticed somewhere in the back of his mind that the sheets had been changed, probably by Esme at some point earlier in the day.

"Yes," Bella answered simply, kissing him gently. "Just let me get changed and shut off the lights."

Edward got himself as comfortable as he could and was already dozing off when he felt Bella settle herself behind him, and her cool fingers in his hair. "Tomorrow we'll wash your hair," he heard her say quietly, and he murmured an agreement as sleep took him over.

The rest of the week passed in the same routine. Edward slept as late as his body needed, and Bella helped him wash, dress, and move around the house. Everything that had happened in the last several weeks had kept Edward pretty off kilter as to the actual passage of time, and he hadn't realized it was Spring Break until he'd asked Carlisle about homework that he'd missed. So he enjoyed the rest of his time off with Bella, learning to use his crutches and letting the family mark up his cast. He was the only one that required more time to heal (and he'd grumbled quite considerably when Bella was able to bounce right back the day after 'waking up' when he was still mostly confined to bed), but he wasn't left alone to wallow too often, and Alice had a bit too much fun shopping for things to keep him occupied. He and Bella did crossword puzzles together, Emmett engaged him in video games, Rose let him watch while she tuned up the Volvo, and Jasper brought out his guitar and jammed with him, after his piano was moved over from his parents' house.

Edward still hadn't decided what to do with the house, so he settled on hiring someone to clean it up and pack up most of his parents' stuff for storage until he felt like he could go through it, and left the furniture for the time being. If he decided to sell it, the furniture would help with the viewing, Esme had said. He didn't have to worry about making mortgage payments; everything had been covered by his parents. The house was his, and the attorneys were managing the finances. Fortunately, those finances also included his health insurance, so he didn't have to worry about that, either. Carlisle and Emmett assured him everything was under control and he just needed to worry about healing and getting ready to go back to school.

By the time they returned to school ten days after the game, they had a firm cover story in place that Edward had been attempting to ride a motorcycle and had crashed, the bike crushing his legs, and the damage to his wrists caused while he was trying to brace the fall. Of course, Emmett and Bella had completely healed by the time they returned, so the story put Edward once again briefly into the spotlight, as he hobbled around campus on his crutches.

Mr. Hall was not thrilled that Edward had done something so 'reckless and dangerous' but had calmed when Edward showed him he could still play (mostly), and that he'd be out of the braces in a few weeks. Edward knew things were getting back to normal when Newton began taunting him again, though they'd seemed to come to a sort of truce after his parents had died, and the barbs were mostly teasing.

Edward returned to the hospital after three weeks in the bulky cast and Carlisle had him fitted for a lighter walking cast to make his life a bit easier. He'd still have to wear the jeans that Alice had stylishly sacrificed for the fit of the cast, but the walking cast gave him more mobility which he was thrilled about, especially with prom around the corner.

He just had to figure out how he was going to convince Bella to go with him. It hadn't taken much for her to agree to the semi-formal, but prom was a whole different ball game with his lover. Not that _that_ part of their relationship had developed much farther. Between his grief over his parents and recovering from his injuries and the awkwardness that had been enforced on him by the various splints and casts, it had been one of the last things on his mind, and Bella hadn't seemed inspired to press the issue, either. So while his body had physiological reactions, they'd done nothing more than snuggle and have some light make out sessions.

Which had been fun, but hadn't solved the problem of asking Bella to prom, which he'd been wrestling with for over a week before he called in the big guns: Alice. Of course, he hadn't really gotten a chance to _ask_ Alice, since she bounced into their bedroom after Bella and Jasper had gone off to hunt one evening and started pouring forth her plan to secure Bella's attendance at the dance.

Friday evening, two weeks before prom, Edward set the plan in motion. He and Alice had set up an elaborate scavenger hunt for Bella to follow, leaving her clues about what awaited her at the end. It was fun, and Edward thought, romantic. That's how he came be sat in the meadow at dusk, waiting. Emmett had run him out so he hadn't had to find his own way.

Edward had laid out a blanket and surrounded it with pillar candles, flames dancing in the gentle breeze, and he settled down to wait. It hadn't taken long, as Alice had said, and the sun was still low in the sky when Bella emerged into the clearing, smiling softly, the tokens of her hunt in her hands.

"What are you up to, Edward?" She asked with a smile as she settled down beside him, spreading the objects on the blanket. There was a rose bud, a keychain of a high-heeled shoe, an untied bow-tie, an empty 5"x7" picture frame, a hockey puck, a plastic toy bicycle, and a brightly colored tail from a 'pin the tail on the donkey' kit.

"You tell me," Edward suggested with a smile, snaking his arm around Bella's waist and watched as she puzzled it out.

"Hm." She sorted the items into two piles. "Puck, bike, tail…" she mused, then brightened. "Midsummer Night's Dream?" She asked. "The bicycle was tricky," she said with a pout. "That's the movie."

Edward laughed and kissed her lightly. "I couldn't make it easy, now, could I? How about the rest?" He gestured to the other pile.

Bella ran her finger over them lightly. "Prom?" She looked up at him with a spark in her golden eyes.

Edward nodded. "Will you go with me?" He took some hope from the look in her eyes that maybe she was interested in going. He wasn't surprised she'd put the pieces together so fast, since the posters were plastered all over school, advertising the theme as Midsummer Night's Dream.

"Of course, Edward," Bella said with a bright smile. "I'd love to. No one's ever asked me to prom before."

Edward let out a soft breath, half-expecting her to have turned him down. "Really?"

"Yes, Edward," Bella said patiently, though he could see the smile playing around her mouth. She was teasing him.

"Thank you," he said softly before kissing her deeply. When he broke the kiss to breathe, he tugged her close, and she tucked her head under his chin. "I love you."

"I love you too, Edward." Bella snuggled fractionally closer. They sat together talking quietly until it grew late, and Bella ran them back to the house.

Alice dragged them all shopping in Seattle the next day for dresses for the girls and new accessories for the boys and a tuxedo for Edward (Jasper and Emmett already owned several, he'd come to understand). While the girls had ducked into Victoria's Secret, Edward dragged Emmett and Jasper off to a jewelry store around the corner.

"Whatcha looking for, Edward?" Emmett asked as they perused the cases.

Jasper was drifting towards necklaces while Edward was looking over the rings.

"Promise ring," he muttered.

"Dude!" Emmett practically bounced like Alice. "Seriously?"

Jasper chuckled and shook his head and Edward rolled his eyes. "Seriously," he said, mocking Emmett's tone.

"Why not just propose?" Emmett moved closer to Edward and peered over his shoulder.

"Because I'm seventeen, Emmett," Edward said, feeling like he was explaining something to a small child. "I do want to marry her someday, and I do already have the ring for that," he said, thinking of his mother's engagement ring with a tinge of sadness, though he knew she would love that he'd be giving it to Bella in due time. "And I just want to promise that I'm hers for as long as she wants me. If that means in a year or two…" he trailed off.

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Jasper advised softly, approaching from the other direction. "She loves you, Edward, wholly and completely." He clapped Edward on the shoulder. "I don't think she's going anywhere."

Edward nodded. He believed that, most of the time. But sometimes a bubble of doubt would arise in his thoughts, and he did his best to push it aside. He had a feeling that the insecurity would remain as long as the inequality stood between them. He was willing to work on it, however, and just be Bella's mate as best he could.

Emmett grabbed him in a headlock. "She's happy. You're happy. You make her unhappy, I break you." He ruffled Edward's hair and let him up at Jasper's quiet admonishment. "Seriously, Edward," he said after shifting to lean against the glass counter that creaked under him. "I'm happy for you, man."

"Thanks, Emmett." The male bonding moment was interrupted by a young male sales associate looking to score his commission. Which he did, three times over.

Edward picked out a simple band of white gold with diamond chips set into two arches off the main band. Jasper picked up the necklace that Alice had asked him to (Edward rolled his eyes – getting that girl a Christmas present was going to be a nightmare), and Emmett bought Rose a deceptively simple looking gold bracelet. With their purchases in hand, they returned to the bench outside Victoria's Secret to wait for the girls to emerge.

Alice kept giving Edward little knowing looks throughout the rest of the expedition, and he just returned them with a serene smile, causing Jasper to laugh as Edward refused to cave to whatever it was Alice was trying to get him to do.

He found that he liked being out with all of the younger Cullens at once, and he was still surprised at how easily he had settled into the family. The rest of the day passed quickly with Alice playing cruise director and they all ended up with the appropriate gear for the dance two weeks away.

The two weeks flew by. Edward had his cast downgraded once again, and though he still had to wear a boot, the new cast was lighter as he finished healing, and Carlisle said that with the walking cast, the physical therapy would be less. The lighter cast was also smaller, and he could wear the boot over his pants, so he was having to press his trousers, rather than alter them all. The wrist braces also came off and the PT started. He had been assured by his therapist that his piano playing would be helpful in his recovery, and Edward was just relieved to hear he had free reign to play as much as he liked again.

Friday before prom it seemed that no one at school could focus on anything, and the teachers pretty much gave up on trying to control the chaos and gave everyone busy work rather than trying to teach. Since Forks High was so small, prom was open to all classes, and lacking a proper venue, it would be held in the cafeteria (though the student body president was quick to call it the multi-purpose room). It amazed Edward how everyone seemed to be so focused on the one event, but he supposed it was the biggest social event Forks had to offer.

Edward was excited, just not quite for the same reasons everyone else was, he supposed. He wasn't expecting to 'get laid' as Newton had so crudely suggested about his date with Jessica, and he wasn't looking forward to the drunken after party. He was, however, thoroughly enjoying the prospect of Bella, on his arm, in a formal gown, for the entire school to see, and the look on her face when he gave her his ring. He wasn't planning on making it a big public event, but he wanted to do it at the dance.

Saturday evening arrived and once again, Edward found himself on the porch of the Cullen home with Jasper and Emmett, waiting for Carlisle to open the door and the girls to come down so Esme could take photos (and Edward had been informed that he _would_ pose for photos with the official photographer at the dance, as many times as Alice wanted him to, or so help him). Edward clutched the corsage he'd picked out for Bella in his hand, feeling the heavy weight of the ring in the inside pocket of his jacket, thankful he'd taken it out of the box so his jacket fit correctly (Alice, once again).

"Good evening, boys," Carlisle greeted them, letting them pass through, and they gathered in the living room, standing around with their flowers. "Esme is finishing up with the girls, and they'll be down shortly." Amusement was clearly written on Carlisle's face.

It was only a couple of minutes before Esme came down stairs, snapping candids as soon as she could see them from the stairs.

The girls appeared together, Bella in the middle of the linked arms of her sisters. Edward wouldn't have been able to report on what Alice and Rose were wearing; his eyes were on Bella only. She looked like a goddess in her blue dress, the sweetheart neckline somehow revealing just the right amount of cleavage to still leave her looking modest. The high waist with the studded pink jewels helped emphasize her bust, and the rest of the bodice hugged her curves before the skirt spilled to the floor, the dark blue fading to purple and then pink around the hem. He understood why he was wearing a pink tie and vest with his tuxedo.

Part of her hair had been swept up into a complicated pattern, and the rest had been left to spill loose down her back, and she wore just enough makeup to highlight the colors she wore, and she wore simple silver jewelry and all of it combined made her the most beautiful woman Edward could recall seeing.

"You look gorgeous," he whispered as Alice and Rose handed her off to him. He was grateful he'd opted for a wrist corsage. He took her hand and kissed her softly on the lips.

"You clean up pretty good, too," she teased. "I like the footwear."

Edward was wearing his boot and his nice black shoe on his other foot. "Hey, at least they're black," he teased back, pulling up his pant leg, showing off his black socks (well, sock), too. He had shaved and attempted to comb his hair into submission but gave it up as a lost cause.

Bella laughed and kissed him, and then they posed for Esme to take pictures. Edward slipped the corsage onto Bella's left wrist since she generally leaned toward right hand dominance (they were all pretty much ambidextrous, Edward had discovered during video game marathons) and she pinned his boutonniere to his lapel, managing not to stab him and cause a feeding frenzy.

Esme finally got enough photos and they left for the dance in separate cars. Carlisle had lent Edward and Bella his Mercedes for the night and Edward let Bella drive, much to her delight. The drive to the school was short with Bella behind the wheel, and she parked between Jasper and Rose's cars. Edward slipped out and opened the door for Bella, despite her having driven, and they joined the others to make the walk through the quad into the 'multi-purpose' room.

They had their picture taken as they made their way through the arch to the quad. The open area between buildings had been transformed into a fairy land with potted plants having been brought in to create the illusion of isolation, and everything had been strung with twinkle lights. Gazebos and tables had been set up around the edges of the quad and candles lit the spaces. Edward had to admit that the prom committee had done a good job.

The cafeteria had been transformed as well, though Edward thought that was mostly because the lights had been kept off. The DJ was set up on the small stage area that was normally closed off, and more plants had been brought in and lights strung around the room.

Emmett and Rose took to the dance floor right away, Jasper and Alice not far behind them while Bella and Edward claimed one of the tables lining the walls for them to leave their purses, phones, etc.

"Dance with me?" Edward asked Bella, offering her his hand once they'd settled everyone's things and Edward had waved hellos to the people he knew.

Bella smiled and took his hand, letting him lead her to the edge of the dance floor where they'd be out of the way. They danced close and talked or simply held each other, and Edward had to commend the DJ for understanding the venue and keeping the playlist slow dance-able.

They were in the middle of a dance and Bella's hand slid up his chest to rest over his heart, and she frowned after her hand bumped his jacket.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked, nuzzling her temple gently. He knew what she'd found.

She shook her head and nestled against him, her head fitting perfectly under his chin, even with the moderate heels she was wearing. "Nothing."

Edward smiled against the top of her head as he pressed a kiss there lightly, not wanting to mess up Alice's handiwork. His left hand lingered at the small of Bella's back while his right dipped into his jacket pocket around Bella's shoulders. He looked down and her eyes were open as she watched his movements, her eyes a bright topaz. Edward smiled as he slipped the ring onto her right hand ring finger.

"Bella," he said softly, holding her hand lightly against his chest, and he knew they could both feel it as his heart sped up a bit. "I love you. I want to be with you forever," he said, moving almost unconsciously with the music. "I know that I'm not ready to have a fiancée, but I'm ready to make a promise. I'm yours for as long as you want me. I do want to marry you, some day, but we have time. Until then, I promise to love you as much as you'll let me and for as long as you like."

Bella looked up at him, love and adoration shining in her eyes. "Forever, Edward."

He held her gaze, puzzled.

"As long as I'd like is forever," she clarified, and her hand moved from over his heart to the back of his neck to pull him down into a searing kiss that lingered for several moments. "I love you, too, Edward," she whispered against his lips when they broke the kiss.

Edward smiled, and kissed her again.

**[end note: Thank you all for sticking with me through this ride. I never expected this fic to be the monster it turned out to be when I started it. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.**

**I have vague ideas for a sequel, however, it's pretty far off. Right now I'm neck deep in an AH JasperxEdwardxBella that I hope to start posting soon, once I get a nice cushion of chapters completed. Hopefully, that will be in the next couple of weeks. I'm finishing up my quarter and then have three weeks off, so there should be plenty of writing time coming up.]**


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